Abandoned by Sight
by Fearthepowerofwords
Summary: "Think carefully. The elderly woman on the bus who's talking to herself is in actually talking to one of our kind. Little kids and their imaginary friends. People in mental institutions who claim to see people who are not actually there. Humans always dismiss our existence." Levi discovers a race of people who can only be seen through peripheral vision. Enter Eren.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 – A little lightning never hurt anyone.**

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A beeping sound. Female voice. Another beeping sound. Stern male voice. More beeping.

Levi slowly cracks his eyes open only to close them again with a groan, the lights are too bright for his comfort, he tries turning his head to the side but it doesn't move. _What's happening?_ The stern male voice appears again, but closer this time. Levi would've flinched if it weren't for the neck-brace holding him still.

"Sir, can you hear me? Sir I need you to open your eyes for me."

The male voice is not making sense. Levi's instincts are telling him to shy away from the noise and fall asleep. _Why do I feel so sore and tired?_ Levi feels his body moving, or at least the bed is moving. Nausea grips his stomach as the bed turns corners too fast before abruptly stopping. Levi feels needles pricking the skin of his arms and the cold metal of scissors grazing his skin as they cut away his clothes. _What was going on?_ Levi thinks as he desperately tries to recall memories from the last few hours but he comes up blank.

"Sir, can you tell me your name? Do you know where you are?"

It was that male voice again. Levi has yet to respond to him but he doesn't understand why his body isn't co-operating. He thinks long and hard about the questions the voice is asking. What was his name? He doesn't even know where he is.

Suddenly Levi is being lifted onto his left side and fingers begin poking at his back. A scream rips through the air before Levi realises it was him screaming. Electric currents flow through Levi's veins, causing his limbs to spasm and shake. There's suddenly more people in the room and the noise level increases but Levi continues to groan and scream. _Why does his body feel like a live wire?_

With unexpected clarity, memories begin to fill Levi's mind as the electric currents simmer down to a mild burn. He remembers running. He remembers running in the rain, being afraid of whatever was chasing him. Fear prickles at the back of his mind as more memories return. He was scared something or someone.

 _The thunder rolls and shakes the air around Levi as he sprints through the forest. He doesn't dare look behind him, he only continues forward in hopes of losing them. Soft earth becomes mud in a matter of seconds and rain starts pouring from the sky. Levi's jeans and boots are soaked and heavy, chafing his wet skin. His shirt clings to the contours of his torso as water continues to beat down on his hair and into his eyes, making his vision blurry._

 _Cracks of thunder vibrate the earth beneath Levi's feet as he continues running, he hears twigs snapping behind him and he knows they are closing in on him. Levi grits his teeth and moves his legs faster, willing them to speed up. Lightning illuminates the sky, assisting him in navigating the otherwise dark forest. Levi hears heavy footsteps close behind him and he prays the bag on his back isn't snatched first. He clings to the straps and starts looking desperately for a way of out, a way to lose his pursuers. He knows that he was in the wrong, he deserves whatever punishment his regiment can dish out. He's nothing but a thief and coward. However he also knows that he was set up and Levi is determined to track down the person behind it. He should never have taken the assignment in the first place._

 _Levi suddenly spots a different kind of light ahead and sprints towards it, hoping this would be the escape he needs. A loud noise splits the air and Levi recognises it to be a cargo train. Bingo!_

"-an you hear me? Sir, can you hear me?" A soothing female voice breaks through Levi's memories and his eyes shoot open, all traces of drowsiness vanish in an instant. Levi groans a little, squinting as the lights are too harsh for his eyes.

A second passes before Levi's eyes adjust and he can take in his surroundings. With some memory recovered Levi can relax a little, knowing he isn't in immediate danger and now he can start to answer these goddamn questions they keep pestering him with.

"Sir can yo-"

"Of course I can fucking hear you. I'm not deaf" Levi snarks back but instantly regrets it, as his throat is bone dry and screams in protest. Levi looks to see a young nurse with short, strawberry-blonde hair gently offering him a Styrofoam cup with a straw in it. The nurse helps him drink the water then sets it aside on the table next to the bed.

"That's better isn't it?" the blonde responds and Levi tries to nod but finds he can't because he's still wearing the neck-brace.

"Where am I?" Levi jabs, trying desperately not to sound rude. He looks around to see he's in an ER but doesn't know which hospital or even which state he is in.

"Maria Memorial Hospital" the Nurse replies with a smile, "Now can you tell me your name?"

Levi freezes, the last thing he can remember is being chased. It wouldn't be safe for him to tell the truth.

"Rivaille Church" he answers quickly, trying to sound as natural as possible.

"Okay Mr Church, do you know what's happened to you tonight?" The question catches the short man off guard. He hasn't been paying attention to his body until now. He quickly observes a few other nurses and a doctor in other trauma bays but the nurse talking to him is the closest to him, waiting patiently for his answer. He feels safe enough to confine in her.

Levi takes a moment to assess his body then gasps loudly as pain spreads throughout his body, originating in his right shoulder and back. He can feel a scream of pain start at the back of his throat but the petite nurse just whispers reassurances while pressing a button by his hand. A few seconds pass before Levi sighs in relief, it must be a morphine drip. Levi can feel big ice packs strapped across his back. _Was he burnt?_

"I'll take that as a no." the nurse speaks, "You were struck by lightning, it hit your shoulder and travelled down your back. But don't worry you'll be fine, many lightning strike victims do survive" Levi only half listens to the nurse as his mind reels. _How the fuck do you get hit by lightning_?

Confusion and shock begins to takes over Levi's body, causing him to shake with anxiety. The nurse only looks on with sorry eyes.

"Wha… What is your name?" Levi asks with a quivering voice, he needs to distract himself.

"Petra" The nurse replies curtly. She then moves to Levi's neck-brace and begins to undo the contraption, sensing that the object is not helping with Levi's panic attack. "You're going to be fine, just close your eyes and get some rest. If you still feel like there is an electric current passing through you, just let me know and I can get you more pain medication" She then proceeds to lower his bed so it is lying vertical and dims the lights a little.

Levi sighs in defeat and lets the cocktail of pain medication put him to sleep, he mumbles incoherently just before falling asleep but clear enough for the young nurse to hear.

"Can't tell them I'm here. Wasn't my fault."

Levi stares down at his long white socks that end above his knees and cringes in disgust before swiftly removing them. He would rather be castrated than be seen wearing them. A few days have passed since he arrived at the hospital and he is ready to set the place on fire. He itches to leave the confining space of his room and never return. The only thing keeping him sane is Petra, the sweet nurse who manages to put up with his foul language and bad temper.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to get rid of those" Petra comments as she picks up the discarded socks off the ground. Levi just 'tsks' and rolls his eyes.

"You should burn those things! And kill the fucker that invented them" Levi remarks but Petra just chuckles and goes about checking his vitals, like she has done every four hours for the last couple of days.

"Well I'm happy to say that you are recovering well and the doctor can probably discharge you today." Petra explains this while finishing her tests. An expression of seriousness settles over her face and Levi suddenly feels nervous. He wipes his palms on his gown, wishing he could read minds.

"Spit it out. Or stop looking so constipated." Levi half jokes, trying to lighten the mood. Petra makes eye contact and the air in the room becomes thick and heavy.

"The night you came into the emergency room… well… I guess I'm a little confused," Petra's words increase Levi's nerves. _I know where this is headed_. "Just before you went to sleep you mumbled something. I might not have heard you right but you said 'you can't tell them I'm here. It wasn't my fault'. Can I ask who ' _them'_ are?"

Levi begins to panic. _Shit_! He just had to say the wrong thing while under the influence of drugs. He tries to play it off without sounding nervous.

"I don't know. It must have been the drugs or something. I don't even remember much from that night and-"

"That's what I thought too," Petra interrupts. "In many lightning strike cases, amnesia and confusion is a common side effect. However I did a little digging and found that you don't exist. There is no one registered under the name of Rivaille Church. At first I thought it was just the shock of everything and maybe you were confused about your name but you haven't corrected me about any of your details. Then that led me think of how you actually got to the hospital…" Levi is slowly losing his cool; Petra is a lot smarter than she looks and she's figured out his secret too quick.

"Your report says that you suddenly turned up at the front doors of the emergency room, like someone had just dumped you there. However when we were examining your injuries we found scrapes and cuts on your lower back that suggests that someone dragged you, but no one witnessed your arrival.

"Also your clothes were muddy and covered in leaves which indicates you were out in the bush, which is a good explanation as to why you got struck by lightning because you are more likely to get struck if you are around trees and…"

"Okay stop! I get it, you're Sherlock Homes," Levi remarks, feeling a bit guilty for using sarcasm, but inside the Levi wants to flee. This sweat and innocent nurse just solved an entire fucking mystery by herself. "Have you told anyone else?" he questions.

"No. I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt. That maybe you could explain to me what happened." Levi sighs and runs a hand through his hair, pulling at it in frustration.

"You're right about a few things. My name isn't Rivaille Church. It's Levi Ackerman. And to tell you the truth you know more than I do about how I ended up here." Petra eases down on the bed next to him, worry written on her face.

"Levi are you running from someone?" this question is simple but it makes Levi want to puke.

"Yes. But I'm not going to tell you who or why. The less you know the better."

"Okay, thank you for being honest. I won't tell anyone who you really are, I trust that you're telling the truth about being in danger" Petra practically whispers.

"No I should be the one thanking you. You're saving my ass for the second time this week. I owe you." Petra smiles and a comfortable silence falls between them.

A few minutes later the doctor arrives on his rounds and discharges Levi. Petra manages to find some clothes for Levi to wear and he quickly changes, finding the clothes too big as the pants nearly slip off his hips. However when he is about to slip his shirt on he catches a glimpse of himself in the bathroom mirror. Levi slowly turns so he looking over his shoulder at the mark on his back.

The mark is like nothing he has ever seen before. It's a spider web of veins and lines that travels down his right shoulder blade and stops at a point near his tailbone. He can faintly see the scratches Petra was talking about but they're barely visible. There is only one word that can describe what the veins look like. A wing. It's still sore however most of the pain is gone but somehow Levi finds it beautiful and mesmerising, even though it almost killed him.

Breaking from his stupor, Levi quickly finishes changing before grabbing what little stuff he has and leaves the building.

"Levi!" Petra calls as she catches up with the young man.

"Hush dipshit! You're not supposed to know my real name." Levi hisses.

"Oh sorry." Petra flushes with embarrassment.

"Well? What do you want?" Levi quips when Petra doesn't say anything.

"I just wanted to know where you are headed. If you needed a ride."

"That's not necessary. I can walk."

"Okay well this is my number in case you decide to get hit by lightning again" Petra jokes handing him a card with two numbers sprawled on it.

"What's this second number?" Levi questions, pointing to the bottom number.

"Oh… Well you said your last name was Ackerman right?" He nods in agreement. "Well I have a friend on the police force in town with the last name Ackerman. I'm not sure if you guys are related or not but that's her number if you want some help. She's trust worthy." Levi stares stunned at the nurse. For as long as he could remember he was alone and had no family.

"Thanks Petra. For everything." Levi says sincerely before he turns on his heel and walks away.

"Will I see you again?" Petra calls after him.

"Hopefully not." Levi waves and keeps walking.

Levi's memories are still fuzzy but he has a good feeling about where he buried his backpack, he just has to retrace his steps. Once he finds that backpack, he will breathe a little easier knowing the contents are in safe hands.

What Levi isn't aware of is the second pair of footsteps that have been following him since that first night in the rain.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 – A home is where the money is.**

(Thank you every one for reading! hope you enjoy this new instalment! I try and update every Sunday. Follow me on tumblr: fearthepowerofwords)

"Fucking piece of shit! Stupid fucking mud and twigs" Levi grouches and grumbles as he kicks a nearby tree. The same tree he has passed several times in the last few hours. Levi hates himself for trusting his poor memories in finding where he buried his bag. He has been wandering around the same forest for hours now. He's hungry and tired but he can't fix either of those problems without the bag.

Levi continues to walk through the dense bushland, hoping something will spark his memories and guide him toward his belongings. The weather is cool and a breeze rustles the tree above him. Levi hugs his arms to his chest and shivers as he continues walking, he should've asked for an extra jacket or a scarf when leaving the hospital. Levi lifts the hood of his jacket and puts his chin to his chest, trying to conserve heat so he does freeze his balls off.

Upon looking at the ground Levi notices a set of footprints in front of him, bearing to the right and disappearing in the distance. Levi slowly puts his foot in one of the footprints and finds it's much larger than his own, which means someone else is here. The footprints are fresh and Levi starts to feel uneasy, what if the people he was running from are here in the forest with him?

Making a split decision, Levi decides to follow the footprint, maybe they will lead him to the person following him so he can get the surprise them. Levi swiftly follows the footprints as they weave through the trees. Eventually Levi comes to a stop when the footprints abruptly end in front of a massive tree. The tree is close to 20 metres tall and the roots weave and duck under the soft soil, the bark is thick and rough making it look sturdy and strong.

Levi is captivated by the sheer size of the tree that he almost misses the gleam of a metal object on the ground. Levi's attention is drawn to it as it looks out of place amongst the leaves and foliage of the forest floor. Slowly bending down, Levi cautiously pulls the metal object. The object is connected to a thin lid made of leaves and twigs and as Levi continues to pull the object up, the lid reveals a small hole. Sitting in the hole is Levi's bag, in perfect condition and unharmed from the external environment.

"So this is where I hid the fucker," Levi mutters as he reaches for the bag. A sudden tingling feeling spreads over Levi's neck and he has the sudden feeling that he is being watched. He checks over his shoulders and surveys the area for a hidden intruder, but finds he's alone. Levi then unzips the bag to check that the contents are still there. His eyes land on the wads of cash, packed messily in the bag, nearly overflowing. He doesn't have time to count it but he assumes it is all still there.

Levi quickly zips the bag up and slings it over his shoulder and starts to walk off. He stops in his tracks when he remembers the footprints. They led him straight to what he was looking for but they were definitely not his footprints. The placebo feeling returns and Levi turns in a circle, looking for anyone lurking in the background but he still can't find anything.

Levi decides to make a run for it just in case, the quicker he gets out of the forest, the quicker he can hide the money. He takes off running like he did days prior in the rain, only this time he has no idea who he is running from and that scares the shit out of him. He picks up his pace, running with ease around trees. Levi keeps hearing snapping twigs or heavy footfalls but whenever he looks behind him, there is nothing there.

Levi eventually reaches the forest edge and where the road starts, he slows his pace, comforted by the fact he is close to civilisation again. Levi ponders weather the lightning strike had an impact on his mental state. _What if I'm going crazy?_ Levi thinks as he slowly jogs towards the town.

The first thing Levi needs to do is find a place to live and buy so goddamn groceries because he's fucking starving. He also needs to buy a phone but he can only use cash so he can't be tracked, a fake ID would also be a good investment.

Levi continues to walk for another half an hour before he sees the outskirts of town. His mind begins to wander back to the night he ended up in the emergency department. Petra had mentioned that he had just appeared at the hospital and that it was evident that he was dragged there. Who dragged him from the forest to the hospital? _That's a long fucking walk_. And how did no one see him arrive? It almost sounds like a ghost story. Levi then remembers the unknown presence that followed him in the forest. _Maybe I have a stalker_ Levi thinks, a very skilled stalker if they can go undetected by Levi.

Before Levi realises he is surrounded by buildings and streets filled with angry drivers. The wind blows strongly around Levi and dark clouds begin to roll over the town, threatening to drench any person outside with rain. The forest next to the town blows a fresh breeze and Levi finds it calming as he continues to look for a real-estate agent.

Once Levi finds a suitable realtor, he flicks his hood over his head and walks up to the window and reads the 'for-sale' signs. Nothing looks overly appealing and Levi only needs something big enough for himself and won't draw much attention. He sighs in defeat as none of the houses satisfy his picky needs. A figure suddenly appears out of the corner of his eye, walking up to the same window he's currently looking in. Levi tenses up, fear prickles at the back of his neck as a million bad scenarios run through his head and all of them end badly.

Levi continues to stare at the signs through the window, pretending to not notice the person next to him, he's afraid _'they'_ have found him, ready pounce if he runs. As Levi continues to use his peripheral vision to silently observe this person he can see it's a young man who is a few feet taller than him (Which isn't hard in Levi's case) and wearing a dark green hoodie. The young man suddenly lifts his hand toward the window and Levi notices a red marker in his hand. The figure draws an almost perfect circle around the 'for-sale' sign just behind the window, the marker making a loud squeaking noise on the glass.

The two men stand in silence for a second once the circle is drawn, Levi clenches his hands in an attempt to stay clam. The figure then moves his arms up to his face and starts to push his hood back. Levi can't take the suspense any longer. His eye flick towards the young man standing next to him, only he sees nothing.

The man who was standing no more than inch away from him vanishes from Levi's sight. Levi jumps backwards in shock as he looks at the nothingness around him. There is not a soul in sight. His heart hammers against his chest and his breathing becomes irregular as he continues to stare at the non-existent person. A million different things run through Levi's mind, _was he really going mad? Was his mind playing tricks on him? Could he be hallucinating?_

Levi stays absolutely still for a few more minutes as he absorbs what just happened. He slowly regains normal breathing and his shacking body calms down enough for him to slowly walk towards the same window. Although the mysterious boy is nowhere to be seen, the red marking was still on the window, a perfect circle surrounding a particular house. It's nothing special, 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, it is more than enough room for Levi plus it looks in very good condition so he wonders why it hadn't sold already.

"It's a nice house that one" a female voice startles Levi, he quickly turns around and comes face to face with woman who looks like the real-estate agent. She has short blonde hair and is average height, wearing a smart pencil skirt and blouse. Her nametag reads Nanaba and smiles brightly at him. Levi must look like an idiot because he continues to stare at her, not knowing what to say.

"ehh… yeah it is nice" Levi replies sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck.

"Are you interested in buying it?" the blonde asks politely.

"Not really. It's too much space for just me and it's probably going to be way too expensive" Nanaba nods her in disagreement, looking almost sad.

"Not at all. I have been trying to sell that house for over 6 months, no one wants to buy a house that's haunted." This comment catches Levi's attention.

"What do you mean haunted?"

"Well ever since I was assigned to the house I have sold it many times but all the buyers sell it again soon after. I don't think it has been lived in for more than a month straight. They say that objects are moved and lights turn on and off without warning. It's become a legend in the town. Everyone knows its haunted and therefore no one will buy it." Levi listens intently to what Nanaba says, trying to figure out if it's really true.

"However there is one thing that bugs me a lot about the house" the blonde states, almost talking to herself.

"What is it?"

"Well… the house hasn't been owned in over 6 months and we haven't hired anyone to look after the house, no gardeners or cleaners or anything. Yet the house is always in immaculate condition, not even a single cobweb seen."

For some reason her words are thoroughly satisfying to Levi, if the house is clean it means he doesn't have to waste time cleaning before he moves in.

"How much?" Levi asks a little too enthusiastically. Nanaba looks at him with confusion.

"Ehh… well since I have no other way of selling it I'm taking any offer you want" the blonde looks completely shocked. Levi then proceeds to swing his backpack over his shoulder and pulls out a few wads of money before securing the bag on his back again.

"Is this enough?" Levi thrusts the money at the young real-estate agent. She wears a shocked expression as she carefully takes the cash and calculates it in her head.

"Yes this should be enough. But are you sure about it? I _Just_ told you that the house was haunted and creepy as fuck" Levi barks out a laugh smiles at the woman.

"Look lady, I appreciate the concern but I don't believe in ghosts or supernatural shit. I need a place to sleep and if I can buy it this cheap I'll take it." Nanaba just shakes her head and walks into the agency, walking behind her desk and doing a few things on her computer. Levi follows and takes a seat in front of her desk, stealing a few lollies off her desk and eating them, it reminds him how hungry he still is.

"Okay so here is the settlement form, I need some of your details and a signature before you can officially own the house." Nanaba states while handing Levi some forms to fill out. "Also the house is fully furnished with ducted heating and gas connection. It also already has Wifi so I can give you the password plus there is a car there as well that is complementary with the house." Levi looks up from the forms at the last bit of information, he is getting way too much for what he bargained for.

Nanaba understands Levi's expression and continues, "The last family that bought the house thought the car was haunted because of malfunctions with it so they left it behind. I can assure you it works fine, I took it to a mechanic and he said there was nothing wrong with it." Levi nods in understanding and continues to fill out the forms.

A few minutes later all the paper work had been filled out and everything is in order. Luckily Levi didn't need official identification due to Nanaba's reluctance to finally sell the house. Once everything was signed for and put through the system he was ready to get to the house and settle in, maybe have a nice hot shower and some food. Nanaba was nice enough to give him a ride to the house, as she had to take all the For-Sale signs down. The ride to the house was quiet and Levi was happy to watch the scenery out the window, tightly holding his backpack to his chest.

Nanaba finally brakes the silence, "Are you sure you want this house? Apart from the price why did you buy it, especially since it is just you living there." This question made Levi think for a minute. It was true that the only reason he bought the house so quickly was because it was dirt-cheap. Levi's mind abruptly flashes to his hallucination, the young man drawing a circle around the house he just bought. _Fuck_ Levi thinks, he could be walking straight into a trap, why would he trust the judgement of an invisible fucking person, if he even existed.

Levi keeps silent as his mind goes crazy with a million different things but Nanaba doesn't say anything, only observes Levi looking a little scared.

"Shit… I'm sorry I didn't mean to be nosy" the blonde replies quickly "I didn't mean to sound rude. You don't have to answer me, I just have to be sure you will be okay in the house all by yourself" Levi then starts to laugh, it was all sounding too dramatic for his taste.

"Don't get your panties in a twist, I think I can handle myself."

"Are you a trained professional or a cop or something?"

"Something like that"

Levi goes back to staring out the window and a comfortable silence falls in the car. It no more than 10 minutes later that they arrive at the house, its positioned on the corner of a quiet street. From the outside Levi can tell it's a nice home, two stories and looks freshly painted. Levi believes Nanaba when she says it never gets dirty. The shape of the house is all sharp angles and large windows, Levi guesses that someone wanted to make it look modern but it just looks like a designer threw up all over it.

Nanaba pulls into the driveway and parks the car before swiftly getting out and going straight to the sale sign. Levi takes his time getting out, still holding his backpack close as he slowly walks up the front lawn and inspecting the cleanliness. It isn't to Levi's standards but it will satisfy him for the minute until he can get his hands on some proper cleaning products.

"So as I said before, the house is fully furnished and you should have power, hot water and Wifi already working. Unfortunately there is no food but there is a small shopping centre at the end of the street" Nanaba explains as she walks up to where Levi is standing. Levi continues to look at the house, still trying to comprehend how he got this house so cheap, that he officially owns it. He looks over at the young real-estate agent and sees a sad expression.

"If you cry I swear to all things holy I will walk away" Nanaba laughs at this but looks at him seriously.

"Promise you will be careful. I know you don't believe the stories I have told you but I have seen many people walk out of this house scarred and traumatised for life. If you need any help or have any questions don't hesitate in calling." She then hands Levi a card.

"Why is everyone in this town so fucking nice?" Levi whispers under his breath. Nanaba however hears him and simply chuckles. She then hands him a set of keys and explains which keys open which door. Once everything is done, Nanaba bids Levi farewell and swiftly leaves. Levi can only hear silence as he walks to the front door, no cars on the street, not even birds in the trees. It would normally bother Levi but he is too tired and exhausted and still fucking hungry.

Upon walking into his new home, Levi observes a large entrance hall with a small table to his left, where he chucks his keys. He then notices two sets staircases, one that leads down to the ground floor and one going up stairs. He chooses the ground level and explores the huge kitchen on his left and a fully furnished lounge room to his right, _Nanaba was right about the furniture_ Levi thinks as he inspects all the furniture, noting the lack of dust which makes him very happy.

The lounge room and kitchen are in one open room, which also includes a big dinning table, made of expensive looking oak. The large open space leads to another set of stairs going down further into the house where he presumes the laundry and rumpus room is. He doesn't bother going down the stairs as it can wait till tomorrow to be explored. Levi then makes his way to the second staircase leading up to the bedrooms and bathrooms. There are two corridors, one that has 4 doors leading to 3 bedrooms and a bathroom. The other corridor is shorter and only has one door, upon further inspection Levi discovers it's the master bedroom and an ensuite attached.

Levi immediately falls heavily on the Queen sized bed and breathes in the smell of fresh laundry. Levi would also be thoroughly confused as to why the sheets are fresh and clean if no one has lived here for months but he was too tired to think. His exhaustion has caught up with him and all he wants to do it sleep but he knows he needs to eat and have a shower.

10 minutes later Levi stands by the kitchen bench chewing on pizza from the pizza box, cleanliness be damned, he is too tired to clean up after himself. With a belly full of unhealthy pizza Levi makes his way up the stairs to his new bedroom, but stops suddenly, noticing something is off.

His keys suddenly catch his eye, they are hanging from a hook near the front door. Levi only remembers throwing them on the small table upon arriving and not touching them again. A shadow then moves past Levi and he turn quickly to see what it was, only to see the empty house. _It's just your imagination_ Levi repeats in his head _it's because you're tired and need sleep and you have had strangest fucking day_.

Levi decides to let this absurdness slide on account of his exhaustion and continues his journey to his bedroom. This next thing on his agenda is a hot, scolding shower to wash his craziness away. He walks into his ensuite and begins to undress while waiting for the water to heat up, before getting in, he looks through the doorway into his room and checks his backpack of money is still under the bed. Levi then walks into the impressive shower that's big enough for 4 people and closes the glass door that's already fogging up.

With a big sigh Levi relaxes under the water, savouring the heat and letting his muscles relax, feeling the water rush over his skin and down the drain. There are shampoos and soaps already in the shower stall and Levi takes his time choosing which one to use. Lathering himself in a thick layer of suds from head to toe. He hesitates over the scarring on his back, the intricate weaving of the lines across one side of his back catches his attention again. He begins to wonder how only one side of his back got affected by the lightning. He notices that all the lines eventually point to the top of his shoulder, where his arm begins, almost like it left his body at that point. Deciding not to dwell on it Levi continues to scrub every inch of his body and it makes him moan in relief at finally being clean.

While Levi is enjoying his well-deserved shower, he doesn't notice the figure at the doorway to the bathroom, lurking just out of sight. He doesn't realise he has a guest who is watching his every move with excitement, waiting for the right moment to reveal himself, but for now the boy is happy to just observe the view from afar.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 – Say my name three times.**

(Hello lovely readers! Another Chapter for you! Sorry if it's a little late! Eren is finally making an appearance in this chapter so i hope you're happy! Please follow me on Tumblr and feel free to ask me any questions! the next couple of updates might be a bit all over the place because I'm just starting University now! Stay tunes for more! Love you readers XD )

In the darkness of night a piercing noise splits the quietness of Levi's room, a loud and disruptive beeping startles the grumpy sleeper from his slumber. His alarm clock flashes in his face, telling him it's midnight. This is the fourth night in a row that he has been awoken from his sleep to the shrieking of his alarm clock. After the first night, Levi tried everything to stop the alarm clock from going off again.

His first attempt was unplugging the damn thing. It ended up being plugged back in again. The second attempt was unplugging it and shoving it in the boot of his car that was locked in the garage. It ended up appearing back in his room plugged in. By the third night Levi was boarding on insanity as he was awoken yet again at midnight by the alarm. He then proceeded to take the shrilling device onto his front lawn and used a hammer to smash it to bits before throwing it in the trash. Satisfied that he had finally rid himself of the haunted alarm clock he was confident the following night he would get a proper nights rest.

When the next night rolled around, Levi was ready to scream when he found a brand new alarm clock sitting on his bedside table.

So here he was, glaring at the alarm clock as it continued to beep in his face. Dark circles highlighted his dark expression as he pushed the clock to the floor, effectively shutting the damn thing up. Levi was beginning to sympathise with the previous owners and doesn't blame them for running.

His beliefs in the supernatural were slowly changing the longer he stayed in the house. It wasn't just the alarm clock that was pissing him off, objects around the house would be moved without him noticing or furniture would be moved, almost like a sloppy teenage was living with him. Sometimes Levi would find his washing folded neatly in a basket, like an invisible maid had come and saved his washing from the rain.

It is currently 6 am on a Monday morning and Levi is glaring at his second cup of coffee, contemplating throwing the coffee away and slipping back to bed.

The doorbell suddenly rings throughout the house and Levi freezes. In the week that Levi has lived in the house he hasn't had a single visitor, he assumed most were too afraid to come near the house but with the constant threat of his regiment looming over his head, Levi won't trust any stranger knocking at his door.

The doorbell rings again and snaps Levi out his train of thought. He slowly walks towards the front door, quickly grabbing his newly purchased boot knife from his shoe and holding it securely behind his back. Another sharp rap on the door startles Levi into unlocking the door and swinging it open. Levi immediately regrets the knife behind his back when he lays eyes on women in a police uniform. She is taller than Levi and has short black hair. Her expression is stern and her posture screams death.

Levi gulps and looks around the woman to find her alone, _that's unusual for police_ , he thinks.

"How may I help you officer" Levi asks in the nicest voice possible, he suspects it doesn't work due to the death stare he receives back.

"I just have a few routine neighbourhood questions, if that's alright?" the question sounds rhetorical in Levi's head so he continues to play along, shoving his boot knife into his back pocket.

"Sure. Ask away,"

"How long have you lived here?"

"About a week or so,"

"Are you the only resident living in the house?"

"Yes,"

"Notice anything odd or unnatural about the house?"

"Not really," Levi decides it's best to leave the hauntings out.

"Are you sure about that?"

This question makes Levi very suspicious. Apparently he answered the question wrong which makes him think the officer knows more about the house than she is letting on. He continues to play along

"Positive," he answers.

"Can I please see some ID?"

Levi reaches for his wallet and hands the woman his driver licence. She looks skeptically between the plastic rectangle and Levi's face, squinting harshly. Levi begins to get nervous as she continues to stare at the ID, afraid she has discovered that it's fake. Eventually she nods her head and grunts before giving the card back the Levi.

"Thank you Mr Church. I'm sorry for bothering so early in the morning."

"No problem" Levi replies, ready to shut the door and go back to bed.

"I just have one more question," The officer states, folding her arms and somehow making her look bigger.

"I sense that wasn't a request. Ask away" Levi exasperates.

"I had a report from a neighbour that two nights ago you were seen in your front lawn smashing a device with a hammer. Is this true?"

"Yes."

"Was the device an alarm clock by any chance?"

Levi goes still, shock written on his face as he processes the question. His suspicions of the woman increases as there was no way she could have known it was an alarm clock unless she was there that night. Levi shakes himself from his thoughts and puts on a bored expression, hoping the officer didn't catch his momentary shock.

Unfortunately it seems she did by the slight smirk on her face, the expression looking out of place next to the uniform.

"Yes it was," Levi states. "How did you know?"

"Educated guess" The officer quips. "Thank you for your time, have a good day."

"What's your name?" Levi blurts before the officer can turn and walk away.

"Sargent Ackerman" She says. "At your service" She then tips her hat and walks back to her car, driving away swiftly. Levi continues to stand at his front door. That was the woman Petra had recommended, the one she trusted.

 _Fuck!_ Levi was screwed. If he was related to her and Petra trusted her he was going to have to be careful. She seemed suspicious and Levi had a feeling she knows more about the haunted house than he does.

For the fifth night in a row Levi is glaring daggers at his alarm clock that is shrilling and making a racket. The numbers 12:00 flashes in his face, taunting him, begging him to smash it with another hammer. Instead Levi pulls the plug from the wall, not caring that he damages the socket, and walks to his window. As he opens the window a cold breeze blows through and Levi shivers, he then proceeds to throw the _now_ quiet clock out the window, watching it smash on the front lawn, feeling no satisfaction.

Since Levi is awake he may as well go to the bathroom before hopefully crawling back into bed. He shuffles into his ensuite and begins to relieve himself, yawning in the process. Just as he is finishing up when a movement to his left catches his eye. He begins to shift his gaze to where the movement is coming from before he hears-

"DON'T LOOK AT ME!"

The words are yelled and they make Levi's whole body freeze, including his half shifted his eyes. His eyes are now trained on the wall in front of him but he can see the person next to him, clear as day. Levi's heart is pounding his chest and adrenaline is pumping through his veins as he thinks of what this person is doing in his house. This mysterious person's words ring in his ears and he obeys to not look at the person in hopes he won't be killed.

Levi curses that he left his boot knife in his room, this invader gives an almost threatening presence and Levi doesn't like it one bit. He starts thinking of ways to escape, weapons he could use, maybe he could—

"Pfft…" The voice beside Levi breaks his train of thought. The person begins to giggle and laugh, confusing Levi further.

"What the fuck is so funny?" Levi barks, trying to sound menacing.

"Your dick is still out," The words are almost seductively whispered and it makes Levi shiver. He then looks down to find his dick is _in fact_ still out. He quickly tucks it back into his sleep shorts and goes back to staring at the wall in front of him, trying hard not to be flustered.

"Who the fuck are you? How did you get into my house?"

"Well that's not very nice language. You should learn to ask nicely,"

From the voice Levi can determine that the person is a young boy, 17 or 18, and also a little shit.

"Listen you little shit! You have broken into my fucking house in the middle of the night and scared the shit out of me. And to top it all off I can't fucking look at you for some fucking reason, so don't tell me to be nice because right now I want to skin you alive.

"Wow old man, I never knew old people knew so many swear words,"

Levi was quickly losing his patience and he finally decides it's time to see who the brat really is. Levi begins to move his eyes sideways toward the boy, they don't make it far before…

"I SAID DON'T LOOK AT ME!"

Levi flinches hard and averts his eyes back to the wall. Having someone shout so close to his ear is damaging and he rubs his ear in response.

"Why the fuck can't I look at you?"

"Because I said so,"

"That's not a fucking answer,"

"Yes it is."

Levi sighs heavily, fighting with this boy is exhausting and the thought of curling up in bed is becoming more tempting, surely he must be dreaming.

"Look kid! You have 5 seconds to get out of my house or I'm calling the cops,"

"But you can't kick someone out of their own home," the boy says matter-of-factly.

"What the hell are you babbling about?"

"I live here, you asshole."

Levi stands in silence and absorbs the words, he doesn't want to believe the boy. There's no way someone else could be living here, Levi would know if that was the case.

"How can you live here? I live here. I think I would know if someone was living with me."

"Are you sure about that?"

Abruptly images surface in Levi's mind, his keys hanging on a hook without his knowledge, the washing folded in a basket on a rainy day, the furniture being moved, and the alarm clock every night. It all make sense to Levi, everything that's happened in the house is because to this boy. Without Levi ever knowing, this mysterious boy has been living with him.

"Shit" Levi curses, running a shaky hand through his short hair. "It was you all along"

"Indeed it was" Levi could feel the shit-eating grin the boy was wearing.

"And you're the one that has set my alarm off every night? And bought a new one when I smashed the old one?"

"Also guilty"

"Fuck! Then why haven't I seen you?" Levi questions.

"You can't" the boy states.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that no one can see me when they look directly at me. I can only be seen through peripheral vision."

Levi is slightly spooked by this statement. He doesn't believe in the supernatural, this can't be possible.

"That's not possible."

"Look at me then,"

"What?!" Levi is now even more confused, one minute he is told not to look at him, now he can look at him.

"You heard me. I'll prove it. So look at me." The boy sounds confident but Levi is still wary.

Curiosity eventually wins over and Levi gives into the urge to look at the boy. Very slowly he begins to slide his eyes to the left, he can make out a green hoodie as the boy's shoulder comes into view. Just as Levi is about to get a good look at his stalkers face, he disappears.

One second he was staring the boys shoulder and now he looks at his shower, there is no one else in the room, just Levi. His heartbeat begins to skyrocket as he turns in a circle, trying to look for the boy. Levi is now convinced that he is going crazy, that this boy is figment of his imagination, there is no way he could be real.

Levi stumbles toward the sink and grips the edges tightly, breathing heavily, trying desperately to wrap his head around this fucked up situation. After a few deep breaths Levi begins to calm down, telling himself that this is all a sick joke. He must be hallucinating.

"Hi again," Levi nearly jumps through the roof when the boy suddenly appears by his side again. Levi is still staring at the sink and he is determined not to look at the boy again, he doesn't think his heart can take much more.

"You're not real," Levi whispers.

"Sorry to say that I am. Whether you like it or not."

Levi closes his eyes tightly, wishing this bad nightmare to end. Suddenly the memory of being outside the real-estate agent pops into his head. The exact same thing happened there, the boy in the green hoodie drawing a circle around the house he just bought.

"It was you wasn't it," Levi states, opening his eyes again to see the boy next to him.

"Huh?"

"It was you at the real-estate agent. You drew the circle around this house. Fuck, you're even wearing the same fucking clothes. How could I forget that?" Levi's head reels again, he needs to sit down.

"Yep that was me, I have to say your face was priceless when you looked directly at me,"

"I'm glad one of us is finding this amusing," Levi grumbles under his breath. "But why did you lead me to your house?"

"I was bored," the simple answer angers Levi.

"You were bored? So you decided to fuck with a random person? Make it so they get no fucking sleep and drive them crazy?" Levi could feel is anger slowly rising again and his voice becomes dark.

The young boy doesn't seem fazed.

"Well when you put it like that it does sound like I was a dick. But think of it more like a test."

"A test?"

"Yeah. Whenever we have new owners I do the same stuff, move the keys, set the alarm off. Most people don't last a week. You're the only person who hasn't been totally freaked. A little violent perhaps but you showed no sign of leaving."

"Am I supposed to be proud of that?" Levi felt the boy shrug and silence followed.

After a minute Levi broke the silence.

"Why me?" it is a simple question yet both men feel the heaviness of the answer to come. Levi doesn't believe he was chosen at random, there had to be another reason this boy chose him.

"You looked lost." The young boy finally answers, it's a soft answer, only meant for Levi's ears. The air around both boys grows thick and heavy. Levi feels exhaustion creep up on him and his bed sounds very inviting but he knows the minute he moves he will lose sight of the boy.

In the silence Levi's mind has time to think. He thinks about the strange boy standing next to him who shouldn't exist, he tries to convince himself that the supernatural is possible. But with the amount of sleep Levi has had (or lack thereof) it is hard to rationalise any thought. His best course of action is to get a good solid 14 hours sleep before he goes head first into the supernatural world.

Deep down Levi knows that what he's seeing or half seeing is real. His chance meeting with the boy is only the tip of the iceberg. Levi takes a big breath and looks up into the mirror, his reflection scares him, the dark circles under his eyes are bigger than usual and his skin has become pale. He shifts his gaze in the mirror to where the young boy's reflection _should_ be but he only sees the wall behind him.

Yet in Levi's peripheral vision the boy is still there, seemingly looking in the mirror too, almost like he is trying to find his reflection but he can't. This creates a pang of sadness in Levi but he is too tired to think about it.

"Well this has been one fucked up night and I need a solid night's sleep. Come find me when I wake up. And don't you dare think about putting another fucking alarm clock in my room" The young boy sniggers at the comment but reluctantly agrees.

"Goodnight old man"

"Night- … wait I never asked your name."

"Eren"

"Eren huh? That suits a brat like you" And with that Levi shuffles back to his bedroom, not giving Eren another thought, he falls asleep as soon as he hits the bed.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 – Welcome to the Adam's family**

(hello beautiful reader! another chapter! i hope you guys like the idea so far and you will see more of this idea develop in this chapter! feel free to comment as I'm open to constructive criticism. follow me on tumblr - fearthepowerofwords. enjoy)

As his feet slide across the wooden floor, Eren strains to hear if they make a noise. After witnessing many people pass through the house, he knows every moan and creak of the floorboards. Eren continues to apply more pressure into the weak spots of the wood but only hears silence. Frustration begins to builds in the young teen as he tries desperately to create sound, to hear it echo and resonate throughout the house.

Eren has seen many young teenagers in the past sneak out of the house, some succeeded and some failed. Those that failed didn't know where all the weak spots were in particular floorboards. Eren always envied these kids, wished that he could experience the thrill of sneaking around and being caught. It was all too easy for him.

It's been a few hours now since Levi collapsed into a heap on the bed. Eren just chuckled before walking over to the older man, lifting the sheets and draping them over his very sexy and gorgeous form. _Stop it! No._ Eren thinks, shaking his head to rid the inappropriate images surfacing in his mind. He can't think that way. He can't let himself believe that he can fall for a human but only pain follows.

With a depressed mood, Eren continues to wander the quiet house. Waiting for when he will be alerted when Levi is awake. It's almost magical when it happens. He doesn't know how it works but when a human is awake in the house Eren experiences clarity. His actions become more defined and he's able to touch and move objects more easily, he almost becomes solid. Eren has no clue why this occurs but he still feels the frustration of being invisible, having Levi in the house helps him feel normal and human-like. But when he leaves the house, the minute he steps outside the door, he becomes a ghost, forgotten by the world. Contact with humans has been a challenge for his kind for decades yet humans are the only way in which they can reproduce.

 _What kind of fucked up system was designed so_ _that his people have to rely on humans to reproduce when they can't even fucking look at them in the first place._

To be honest, Eren doesn't care. All he wants to do is to walk through a busy street where people can glance up at him, notice his presence then ignore him. He wants people to have the _choice_ in ignoring him.

Maybe this Levi person can help him. Even _if_ its just for a little fun.

Sunlight streams heavily through the blinds in Levi's room, shining directly into Levi's face. The man grumbles and curses before turning over and burying his face into his pillow again. Levi has no idea what time it is, nor does he really care because the first time in a week he feels well rested. Due to being so tired, he wasn't haunted by nightmares and a good nights sleep was well deserved. A smile begins to pull at his lips as he begins to slip into slumber again, loving the feeling of being lethargic.

Just as Levi is about to slip back into unconsciousness a voice directly next to his ear startles him. The whisper of "Wake up Levi" causes Levi to jolt up in bed and look around the room in a panic. His instincts screaming at him to defend himself against an intruder. He continues to stare around the room, trying to find the source of the voice. The memories of the previous night flood back to Levi and he groans loudly while falling back on the bed. He really hoped it was all a terrible dream and he wasn't actually going insane.

Levi re-opens his eyes and stares at the ceiling, taking a few deep breaths before he speaks.

"Okay brat, you have two seconds to appear before I'm checking myself into a nut house" the room is silent and still, yet Levi could feel the tension building the longer he doesn't see or hear anything.

"Well you are one grumpy man in the morning" the familiar voice sings as the boy's figure appears in Levi's right side peripheral vision.

"Well it doesn't help when a fucking ghost wakes you up before your morning shit" Levi grouches, keeping his eyes fixed on the ceiling. "So you're real then? It wasn't all a terrible dream?"

"Sorry to disappoint. If you don't believe me then just look out your window where your alarm clock still sits. " Levi chuckles at the recollection of throwing the machine out the window.

Levi then heaves a heavy sigh as he realises that he's in deep shit now. What the hell is he supposed to do now that he has a ghost brat following him and scaring the shit out of him all the time? He has to come up with a system in order to hear the brat before he appears. But the first thing Levi needed to understand was who this kid was or _What_ he was because he is still 90 percent sure he is crazy and hallucinating.

"What exactly are you?" Levi questions, crossing his fingers and hoping the boy doesn't say 'his conscience'.

"We're called 'Peripheries'" Eren answers, sounding bored as if he says the same thing everyday.

"Great!" Levi says sarcastically. "What the fuck is that?"

Levi hears the boy chuckle and sigh at the same time. "We are a race of people who are born practically invisible. I have no clue how it works but all I know is that we live amongst humans and we can touch everything you can, you just can't see us. It has something to do with human eyes and how your retinas can't process our existence and send the image to the brain. Yet your peripheral vision doesn't have as many receptors so it's easier for your eyes to process our form through that way. I don't really understand it, you should ask my Dad, he can explain it all to you." Levi sits quietly, absorbing every word the boy says, surprisingly he believes him, it kind of makes sense.

"And where is your Dad?" Levi quips. "Because you seem too fucking young to live by yourself"

"Hey! I'm not as young as I may seem. We age different to humans! And I _do_ live with my Dad"

Levi squints his eyes at the ceiling, processing what the boy just said and then it finally clicks.

"Motherfucker! Your dad fucking lives here too?"

Eren just laughs at the shocked face Levi wears. It's the one thing Eren likes about being a Periphery. He can look at people's expressions without being caught. And Levi's expressions are hilarious.

"How come I've never met your father?" Levi states, sounding a bit pissed off.

"He doesn't like to reveal himself to many people, he prefers to live in a room under the house." Levi has the urge to ask why but he has a feeling it's a long story and he doesn't want to pry. Then a thought occurs to Levi.

"Wait where do you sleep? If you don't stay with your dad?"

"I sleep in one of the spare rooms in the other hall way"

"Well this all makes perfect sense as to why the house is always clean and fully furnished, people fucking live here" Levi suddenly feels guilty, like he's trespassed on the wrong land and he should move. The longer he thinks about it, the more he really doesn't want to move out the house, he doesn't have the money.

Levi decides he has spent too much time in bed and his stomach growls at the thought of breakfast. He's starving. He sits up again in bed and swings his legs out of bed, he looks around to see Eren has vanished but this time he isn't surprised. He makes his way to the kitchen but he knows Eren is following, almost like a feeling on the back of his neck.

Once Levi makes some toast and a fresh cup of coffee, he settles at the island bench and begins eating. A minute passes before Eren re-appears in his peripheral vision, sitting next to him munching on an apple. _So they do eat normal food_ Levi thinks.

After stuffing half a slice of toast in his mouth, Levi gets up and begins looking through the draws in the kitchen until he finds what he's looking for. He then sits again and continues eating. When the brunette appears again, he can sense he has a confused look on his face.

"What were you looking for?" Eren asks curiously.

"This." Levi states holding up a cat collar and some string.

"Please tell me you're not into some weird pet play stuff?" Eren half jokes. Levi chuckles as he begins to work on the objects, still able to keep Eren in his sights.

"No. I'm making an anklet for you." The older man explains as he removes the bell from the collar and threads it onto a piece of string. He gives the string a shake and a clear ringing sound bounces off the walls. Levi smirks at his brilliance.

"Oh no." Eren mutters.

"Oh yes! I'm not going to wander around my house and have a heart attack every time your present yourself. This will alert me of your presence, whether I can see you or not." Levi extends his hand. "Am I able to touch you?" Levi waits patiently for an answer, continuing to stare at his empty plate.

Eren doesn't speak, only slowly begins to lift his foot until it is planted on Levi's thigh. Levi is mildly surprised that he is able to touch the boy, that he is solid and warm. He then proceeds to attach the anklet without looking which is a lot harder than expected. Finally he finishes the knot and releases the boy's ankle. Flicking the bell before letting go, making the younger boy shiver.

"Well? Go for a test drive" Levi says while sipping his warm coffee. The boy abruptly disappears from his vision and Levi closes his eyes, waiting to hear the sound of the bell. A second passes before he hears the ringing and become rhythmic as Eren walks around. Not only does the bell alert Levi of his presence but also lets him know where the boy is, so Levi knows that Eren is currently walking around the kitchen, then walks past him before sitting back in his original spot.

"Cool" it's only a faint whisper but Levi hears it and he smiles softly before downing the rest of his coffee.

The rest of the afternoon is spent in relative silence. Eren complained of being tired a few hours previous and went to take a nap. Levi heard the bell ringing as he made his way upstairs. Once Levi knew he was alone he made a dash up to his room, kneeling down, he drags his backpack from it's hiding spot and proceeds to empty the contents on the floor. A dozen or so wads of cash fall to the floor as well as a passport and combat knife. After counting the money Levi realises he will run out soon and finding a job becomes a priority. He reminds himself to look in the local paper for any jobs ads next time he gets one.

Levi runs a rough hand through his undercut, he's been lucky enough to not be caught by his regiment yet but he knows they are out looking for him. Thinking about his regiment causes Levi's heart to hurt, thinking of Izzy and Farlan causes a grim expression to appear on his face. He should never have left them with Kenny.

Levi's train of thought is suddenly cut short when the doorbell chimes throughout the house. He quickly packs his things back into the backpack and hides it under the bed again. Checking that his boot knife is in place, he slowly walks downstairs and toward the front door. Just before he turns the nob he hears the bell attached to Eren's ankle that indicates he's awake. Levi just prays he won't show himself.

Opening the door Levi is met with the same police officer as a few days prior. Sergeant Ackerman as he recalls, is not facing his direction, instead she is turned to the side and starring at the house next door. This odd behaviour sets off warning bells in Levi's head and he takes a step back. He looks over at the police car parked in his driveway and sees another officer leaning against the car, looking bored.

"How can I help you officer?"

"You can't" The woman simply states, continuing to stare to the right of her. "Only Eren can help"

Levi's eyes widen at the comment, flicking behind him to see if Eren is with them. "I don't know what you are talking about" Levi defends. Surely this is all some sick joke.

"Yes you do. Don't lie to me Mr Church, I saw the alarm clock on the front lawn. That can only mean that Eren finally revealed himself to you." Her words are accurate and precise. She knew everything.

"And how do you know all this?" Levi weakly tries to divert conversation away from his imaginary friend.

"Because I know Eren. I know that Eren will _only_ waste his time on two alarm clocks. If the person sticks around long enough he will decide to reveal himself. You seemed to have passed his test. Isn't that right Eren?" Levi freezes as Eren walks into Levi's field of vision, seeming smug. Sergeant Ackerman still has her head turned and it dawns on Levi that she is doing that in order to see Eren.

"Sure is" Eren answers.

"Don't tell me your one of them as well?" Levi questions the officer.

"What do you think dambass? You can clearly look at me directly and I don't vanish" Levi scratches his head sheepishly and feels a little stupid for asking the question.

"Mikasa! Stop being so mean" Eren demands.

"I'm looking out for you Eren! Do you know what's going to happen in a couple of days?" Mikasa hisses through her teeth.

"Yes I'm aware of it. But please leave him alone" Eren begs. The Sergeant simply pouts before signalling to her partner at the car. The man looks fresh out of training. He has a bored expression and two-toned hair that makes him look a lot less intimidating. He walks up to the front door, looking a little confused at the stance his partner is taking but he doesn't comment.

"Sergeant Kerstein do you know why we have visited Mr Church today?" The young officer begins to pick his nails.

"Nope"

"Jean!" Ackerman snaps "Pay attention and tell me why we are here". The male officer thinks hard for a few minutes, then it dawns on him.

"We got a call about a noise disturbance last night" The female officer nods her head in approval, satisfied with the answer.

"That's a load of bullshit!" Levi yells. His patience is wearing thin. How dare they accuse him of doing nothing?

"Is it?" Mikasa asks, "At around midnight last night we got a complaint of a machine smashing outside your home. And would you look at that, you have a mechanical device on your lawn" The sarcasm is dripping from her voice. Her head is now looking straight ahead at Levi, looking smug. With both officers now looking in Levi's direction, they can no longer see Eren. Levi however can still see him, sensing that Eren is a little pissed off at the intrusion of his so-called 'friend'.

Sargent Ackerman then pulls a pad and pen from her pocket and starts writing in it. She begins talking.

"This is the second noise complaint this week Mr Church. If you get another one we will be issuing a fine. Please be mindful of your neighbours." Levi feels there is a double meaning in her words but he is too pissed off to think about it. Levi can see Eren visibly shake with aggression. Levi begins to wander what his history is with the woman.

The two police officers retreat back to their car before any more words are exchanged. Levi slams the front door closed and starts pacing, trying to figure out what just happened and why the officer hates him so much.

However outside the house, as the two sergeants walk back to their car, the younger male is questioning why his superior is so focused on this particular house. As he circles around the car he catches a glimpse of the next-door neighbour. At first all he sees is a young man near the fence, inspecting the flowers growing there. As the male officer lifts a hand to wave at the neighbour he find himself starring at an empty garden, not a person in sight. He jumps in fright as he frantically searches for the person who was right in front of him.

Mikasa taps impatiently on the hood of the car and Jean has no choice but to get in the car. He is visibly shaken by the sudden disappearing act and only caught a glimpse of the man, remembering only a dusting of freckles. He doesn't know if he is hallucinating or going crazy but for some odd reason, he really wants to see those freckles again.

Nightfall slowly descends on the town of Sina and Levi is still pacing the kitchen, he has so many things to worry about yet he can't stop thinking about the creepy policewoman. Levi wants to ask Eren a thousand questions about the woman because it was clear that they knew each other well, yet there was tension in their interactions.

Eren disappears and re-appears in Levi's vision frequently on account of his constant moving. Eren is slowly going mad as he continues to watch Levi pace back and forth. The young boy is tempted to tell Levi about his relationship with Mikasa but he doesn't know if Levi can handle any more knowledge for the day. Eren is just about to tell Levi off for pacing when the doorbell interrupts him. If it's Mikasa, he's going to kill her.

Levi looks sharply at the front door. He has a strong sense to ignore whoever is on the other side. Yet if it's the policewoman, he's going to kill her. He slowly makes his way toward the front door and opens it slowly. However he finds that his front porch is empty. Levi is just about to close the door when he hears the tell-tale sign of Eren's anklet jingling. He hears the noise pass him and stop in front of him. Levi catches on and turns his head to the side. When he finally has Eren in his field of vision he realises that he isn't alone. From what he can make out he is with a younger boy who is a lot shorter than Eren, has long blonde hair and is speaking very fast. Levi is instantly confused until their hushed whispers and talking suddenly stops and both boys turn their gaze to Levi.

"What the fuck is going on?" Levi demands, making both boys jump.

"Levi, this is my friend Armin. He's one of us"


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 – Now you see me.**

(Hello lovely readers! Here is another wonderful chapter! Warning there is smut in this chapter, but I think we all need a little smut in our lives! *Winks seductively* enjoy!)

The room falls into relative silence but Levi can hear the blood rushing and pounding in his head. He rubs his hands over his eyes as he feels a headache forming behind his eyes. Armin and Eren have been talking for over two hours now and Levi tuned out of their banter a while ago, choosing to make some tea and savouring the peace and quiet of the kitchen when he can't see the two teens.

Levi hears the jingle of Eren's bell and he automatically straightens his gaze so it's easier for Eren to slip into his field of vision. Levi is amazed at how he's adjusted to having the brat around and the more time he spends with him, the more he's convinced he isn't crazy. Eren glides into Levi's vision as he takes another sip of his tea. Levi can sense Eren has a more serious attitude and he begins to wander what he was discussing with his friend.

"Everything okay?" Eren inquires.

"Yep just dandy! Now can you tell me what's going on and why you have an uninvited playmate?"

"Sorry that's my fault" The smaller boy suddenly appears on Levi's other side, startling him. "I had some important stuff to tell Eren that couldn't wait. Sorry for coming uninvited" The blonde seems sincere with his words so Levi has no choice but to yield.

"It's fine, just remember to ring ahead next time"

"Actually we can't use phones. I'll send a letter instead." Armin answers.

"What the fuck? You can't use phones?" Levi suddenly feels angry. These people can't even use simple technology, communicating must be hard for them.

"Its just part of being a _Periphery_. To be heard we must be seen. To touch we must be acknowledged by those round us."

"What does that mean?" Levi questions. "Eren's told me shit about your people and I have questions" Armin chuckles and reprimands Eren for not telling him more.

"Okay I'll tell you everything I know. As you already know we are called Peripheries. Its self explanatory as it refers to your peripheral vision. This is because the receptor cells in your main field of vision are too sensitive to process our existence. However the receptor cells in your peripheral vision are a lot less sensitive and therefore can process our existence, which then sends the images to the brain. We unfortunately have no idea why your normal receptor cells can't detect us, it's almost a magical occurrence.

"However people who have very poor eyesight or those slowly going blind can see us normally. Most of these people however keep quiet about existence or are put in psych wards and mental facilities because doctors don't believe them." Armin takes a breath and gathers his thoughts. Levi's hanging off every word Armin is saying, wanting to hear more. "Our population has hit critical over the last couple of years because the only way we can reproduce is with humans. Two peripheries cannot reproduce together, so we must rely on humans in order continue our race. But with constant development of medicine and drugs it's harder for us to convince humans that we are real."

Levi takes his time to think over what Armin has said, his tea was downed long ago and he didn't even notice. Questions fill Levi's head which doesn't help his headache but he has trouble choosing what question to ask. Eren has been eerily quiet next to him but he doesn't bother to question it. Armin continues before Levi has a chance to speak.

"But, there are some instances when humans can look at us normally. This happens when…" Eren loudly clears his throat, effectively stoping Armin from continuing. Levi furrows his brow, feeling the tension between the two boys. Levi however is too curious and wants to know when he can finally look at Eren properly. He's suddenly hit with the realisation that he _really_ wants to see what Eren looks like, wants to make eye contact and study every inch of his face.

"When what? Don't leave me fucking hanging." Levi says, quickly clearing his mind of Eren.

"It's nothing of importance" Eren dismisses. "It only happens once in a blue moon" with that Eren leaves and Levi hears the jiggle disappear upstairs. Armin stays quiet next to Levi, starring at the counter. Levi feels he has hit a sore spot with Eren but he has no idea what he did wrong. He wants to learn everything there is to know about their kind but he suspects Eren is hiding things from him. The more Levi dwells on the information Armin has provided, the more he needs to know. If he is being thrust into the world of the supernatural then he needs to know everything.

"Is there anything else you can tell me?" Levi questions. "Why hasn't anyone tried to expose your existence? Surely many humans know about you."

Armin stays silent for a few moments, thinking of how to approach the question.

"I want you to think carefully. Think about scenarios in which we could exist. The elderly woman on the bus who's talking to herself is in actually talking to one of our kind. Think about little kids and their imaginary friends, many of them are real but are dismissed by adults. Think of people in mental institutions who claim to see people who are not actually there. Humans always find excuses to dismiss our existence and many humans suffer because of that. Many humans are wrongly accused for being insane, crazy, high or simply disabled for believing in us."

Armin's words are sad and Levi's heart pangs with grief at the thought of people being forced into isolation for simply believing. Both men sit in silence for a long while, no more questions are asked nor answered, Levi is satisfied with the information he has been given.

Armin hangs around the house a little longer, going back upstairs to check on Eren before quietly showing himself out. Before he leaves, Armin retrieves a card from his pocket and places it on the dresser next to the front door. Levi keeps his gaze sideways while inspecting the card.

"I was told that you are looking for a job." Armin explains. "I talked to Mikasa and she has agreed to let you work at the police station. Simple administration work and filing papers but it's better than nothing. If you want the job ring that number and talk to Commander Erwin, he'll help you." Levi can sense to genuine smile on Armin's face before he disappears from his sight. The door opens and closes signalling his departure.

Levi continues to be amazed by these _Periphery_ people and how informative the little blonde one was. Levi is a bit pissed off that Eren has not explained much and he's hiding something important but he can't help but feel that he can wait until Eren is ready to tell him. Levi begins to flip and play with the card Armin gave him, debating if he wants the job or not.

It's true that he's low on money and he will eventually need a job, plus he is starting to become bored at home, even if he _does_ have the company of an invisible friend. He thinks back to the officer who he has gotten to know well over the last couple of days. Mikasa as he recalls. The way she looked at him, with both venom and amusement. Levi wonders if he can deal with her moods on a daily basis or deal with that Kirstein kid who looks like a horse. He knows he has little patience but his need for money outweighs the annoyingness of his future colleagues.

With his decision now final, Levi grabs his phone from his back pocket and dials the number scribbled on the card. As it rings, Levi walks into the lounge room and seats himself on the couch, preparing himself for a long conversation. The phone continues to ring and he starts to think he won't be answered. At the last second the call is put through.

"Hello, Local Police department, Commander Erwin speaking" The voice is low and clipped, sending shivers down Levi's spine as he feels the authority dripping from the voice.

"Ahh… Hi my name is Rivaille Church. I was … told…" Levi suddenly realises he can't mention Armin because he doesn't technically exist. "I mean I heard that you were looking to hire someone for an admin job" There is an awkward pause on the line and Levi fears the Commander has ended the call.

"Ah yes! You're right. We are looking to hire someone. If you want you to come down to the station tomorrow for an interview so we can get an idea of who are and do a quick background check and all that."

"Sure I can do that. I'll see you then" Levi replies. He hopes his nervousness isn't portrayed in his voice.

"Alright. Make sure to bring a resume and we hope you can be a part of our department." The line is immediately disconnected and Levi breathes a big sigh of relief. He hasn't felt this kind of nervousness since he was a teenager looking for his first job. He begins to worry that his alias won't hold against a police department, but he has to try.

"What was that about?" Levi jumps in his seat at the sudden voice beside him. He didn't notice the bell alerting him of Eren's presence nor did he see the boy move into his line-of-sight.

Once Levi's heart stops pounding and recovers, he answers.

"I need to write a resume"

Levi jiggles his leg nervously as he waits outside Commander Erwin's office. The Police Department is a flurry of movement and phones are constantly ringing. Most of the officers at the station are too busy to notice his presence but some do give him weird looks, Levi suspects because this town is so small everyone knows everyone, therefore he's the outsider.

Shortly after arriving at the station Levi ran into Sargeant Ackerman and her house-faced partner. Both officers glared at him before being called to a car accident, much to Levi's relief. He clutches a plastic folder with his resume and a few other credentials in it. He hopes spending nearly all night fabricating a resume and making sure it seemed legit is worth it, however if they did too much digging they would eventually find it was a fake. Most of Levi's nerves are due to that prospect of being caught and then subsequently being found by Kenny and his gang or being in prison.

There is a commotion near the entrance of the building and multiple officers rush to the scene. It seems a woman is in distress about a their baby gone missing and she's crying hysterically. The scene distracts Levi from his impending doom (AKA his job interview) but he is suddenly brought back to reality when someone taps him on the shoulder. He spins around in his chair to see a tall, broad man with neat blonde hair. Levi assumes this is Commander Erwin because his appearance matches his dominating voice.

The taller man smiles slightly and offers his hand.

"Hi, you must Rivaille Church. I'm Commander Erwin but please just call me Erwin." Levi shakes his hand and follows him into a private office. Once both men are seated in their respective seats, Levi notices Erwin is staring at him intently, almost evaluating Levi before the interview even starts.

"First of all I would just like to ask how you knew about this job opening? Not many people knew about it" Levi's panic escalates and his can feel his palms become sweaty. _Shit_ Levi thinks, he can't tell the man about Armin because that would ensure a one-way ticket to the nut house. He has to think on his feet.

"My friend Petra, who works at the hospital, she told me about it when I was there" It seems a plausible explanation.

"Ah the lovely Petra. I know her very well. She often visits here if an officer is injured. I hope you were at the hospital for good reasons." There is slight concern in Erwin's voice but Levi knows that he is faking concern in order to gain trust more easily, it's a tactic he's familiar with.

"No I was actually admitted there for a few days, I was struck by lightning" Levi doesn't know why he shared that information. Maybe to make his lies more genuine.

"Dear god! And you survived? You're a lucky man" Erwin gives a smile that could fool anyone but Levi has had too much experience with these kind of people and he can tell that Erwin is shadier than he looks.

"Thank you, luckily I was only left with a scar" there's an awkward pause where both men say nothing. Eventually the Commander clears his throat and suddenly looks more professional than before.

"Now down to business. If I could have a quick look at your resume to make sure the job suits your skills. I will also have to do a quick background check to make sure you're not a criminal in disguise." Both men laugh at this but Levi is screaming internally because that's exactly what he is, a criminal in disguise.

Levi hands his resume over the desk and sits in silence as the Commander reads it, nodding in approval every once in a while. When he is satisfied he then moves to his computer to do the background check. Levi is eternally grateful that he learnt how to hack secured websites. He was able to access the local Police database and create his identity and add a few minor speeding tickets to make it look more realistic. He also added the photo that is on his fake drivers licence.

A few minutes pass in silence as the blonde man continues to stare at his computer, with each passing minute Levi is considering more escape options. Finally Erwin looks away from the screen and leans back leisurely in chair.

"Everything looks good Mr church. Just a few more questions and we'll be done."

"Great" Levi deadpans, he doesn't know what else to say.

"You can relax Mr Church, I won't bite"

"I know but I feel your eyebrows might"

There is a still silence and Levi fears he's gone too far with the joke but a second later Erwin bursts out laughing. It's an unexpected reaction but Levi is glad he won't get into trouble before he even gets the job. It takes a good minute for the blonde man to regain his composure.

"You're a funny man. I think we will get along famously."

The rest of the interview goes smoothly after that. Levi however still has his suspicious about the Commander but he has no proof there was foul play involved so he is giving the man the benefit of the doubt.

Levi walks out of the building feeling satisfied that he got the job and he will soon be earning some money, hopefully his true identity won't be found out. Levi finally reaches his black sports car (Thanks to the previous owners of the house) and sits behind the wheel, taking a moment to breathe and remind himself that he's safe and everything went well.

"Sooo… How did it go?" Levi startles at the voice next to him before he realises he forgot that Eren is in the car. Eren had insisted on coming to the interview but on the condition that he stayed in the car, Levi couldn't have an invisible person scare his chances of a job. Eren is bouncing in his seat, waiting for Levi's response.

"It went fine, brat. He was… interesting"

"Interesting how?" Eren inquires while picking at the lining of the seat.

"His first couple of questions were odd and unnecessary, almost like he was testing me to slip up"

"Did he notice any of the fake credentials?" Eren sounds genuinely concerned for Levi that creates warmth in his chest that he tries to ignore.

"No he seemed satisfied with all the information." The car falls silent and Levi has a suspicion that Eren wants to ask something else but is too afraid to. "Alright out with it. I don't want you getting constipated"

"Well… there is something…" suspicion confirmed. "Why have you changed your name and keeping your true identity a secret? I mean I know your first name is really Levi but that's it." The question surprises Levi. He doesn't have an answer. He tries to think of a lie but it doesn't feel right lying to Eren. He also realises that Eren doesn't know his full name, it hasn't come up in conversation so he's never told him. He decides to keep it quiet for now in case he blabs to Mikasa, which will end badly.

"Maybe one day I'll tell you" Levi concludes before starting the car and driving away, trying to concentrate on the road instead of rising emotions from his previous job.

Levi starts his new job the next day. It's a full on job and he is swamped with paper work from day one. He doesn't mind the paperwork or the phone calls he has the answer, but the one thing he hates is the coffee run. Because he is new to the department everyone thinks they can push him around and make him get coffees for everyone. Only a few days into the job and Levi wants to pour coffee over everyone's desk.

It's Levi's third day and he he's running late. He blames Eren entirely. On a normal morning Eren will sit and have breakfast with Levi before he leaves for work, it almost feels domestic. But this morning Eren was nowhere to be seen. Levi looked in every inch of the house but couldn't find the brat. Eventually he had to give up and leave for work only to realise he was running late.

Stumbling into the office, Levi heads straight for his desk that sits outside Erwin's office. Just as he sits down and boots his computer up a figure looms over his desk. He looks up to see Officer Ackerman, looking pissed as always.

"The fuck do you want?" Levi doesn't care if he's talking to police officer, she has been nothing but trouble since the beginning.

"I just wanted to say 'Hi' and to see how you're doing" this is said so sweetly that Levi knows it's meant to be sarcastic.

"Bullshit! What do you really want?"

"Have you seen Eren today?" Levi's stomach sinks. It can't be a coincidence that she asks this question on the one day Eren doesn't show up. If his so-called 'friend' is asking his whereabouts then something is seriously wrong.

"Not yet no" He states "He's probably still sleeping. Why do you ask?" The female officer glares at Levi, figuring out if she believes his words.

"Just wondering" she tries to play it cool "wanted to make sure you haven't murdered him yet"

"Don't worry honey! If I murder him you'll be the first person I tell" the tension in the air is thick as they continue to stare at each other. Eventually officer horse-face steps in and informs his partner that they have a call to attend to. Levi is half grateful for the boy's timing.

For the rest of the day Levi is worried sick about Eren. It's not like the brat to not show up for breakfast. He's usually the first thing he sees in the morning. Now with Mikasa asking about him, it multiplies his worry. Levi wishes the day will go faster so he can get home and find Eren and put his mind at ease but the more he looks at the clock, the more time moves slowly, it becomes agony.

Finally the clock reads 6pm and Levi quickly cleans his desk and heads straight for the door. When he's about to step out the door Erwin calls from behind. It takes every ounce of energy not to scream.

"Oh Levi, leaving so soon? I was hoping you could file a few more documents for me before you go home for the day." The request is simple and won't take long but Levi is seething.

"Sorry Commander… I mean Erwin. My friend just called and said he was sick so I need to go over a make sure he's okay. Don't worry I'll file those documents first thing tomorrow." Not bothering to wait for Erwin's response, he runs out the door and down a flight of stairs to the underground car park where his car sits. Revving the engine he speeds out onto the road, being careful at the same time. All the pent up frustration and anxiety races through Levi's body, everything screaming at him to get home and find Eren. He almost has animalistic instincts guiding him to an injured member of his pack.

Once Levi arrives home he sprints into the house. Levi discovers that finding someone through peripheral vision is a challenging task. He walks around the house sideways, keeping his eyes straight ahead so he can catch a glimpse of the brat. He calls out for Eren as he searches the bottom level of the house, but he also stays quiet to listen out for the bell around Eren's ankle.

With the lower level covered, Levi proceeds upstairs to the bedrooms. When Levi checked earlier in the day Eren's room was empty and his bed was neatly made, it was very unlike Eren to be neat.

Levi reaches the top floor and slows his pace, being careful to keep his eyes straight. He enters the hallway that leads to the guest bedrooms and Eren's bedroom. All of a sudden everything becomes crystal clear and he is hit with an amazing aroma. Like Levi just walked through a soundproof barrier and now he can hear every single noise in the house.

And _Dear God_ the noises send shivers down Levi's spine.

At first they are soft noises, grunting and whimpering, sounding far way. But as Levi edges closer to Eren's bedroom door they grow in volume. Levi instantly knows the noises being made but he can't stop himself from moving closer. Heavy breathing and panting sounds drift into the hallway, causing Levi to freeze just outside the door that is opened ajar.

Levi's whole body is shaking as he hears more moans and whimpers leave the room. Then it hits him like a ton of bricks. He shouldn't be able to hear Eren talk or make noise unless he is in his field of vision. He is now very confused. How can he suddenly hear everything Eren is saying and doing without seeing him? Why must he hear everything at a time like this?

Levi is drawn from his confused thoughts when a loud moan splits the air and it sounds a lot like Levi's name.

"fuuu…. Levi! Ughh… Please Levi…" Eren voice sounds strained and tired, like he's been doing it all day. His moans are sending jolts of pleasure through Levi and it's going straight to his dick. Levi grabs himself through his pants and stifles a gasp at how sensitive it already is, just from listening to Eren. He listens closer and he can now hear the slapping and sliding of what Eren is doing to himself.

Levi's self-restraint shrivels up completely at the gasp of his name, he can't take the suspense any longer, and he _needs_ to see Eren now. Turning his head to peek through the crack, Levi shifts his eyes to the side so he can see through his peripheral vision only he doesn't need to. Eren comes into full focus while Levi looks directly at him and he nearly faints at the sight.

This is the first time Levi gets to have a proper look at Eren, to study his face, to learn all his features but all he can focus on is the sweating, panting mess of a boy as he fucks himself. Eren is void of all clothes, lying in the middle of his unmade bed, pumping his cock vigorously while sliding two fingers in and out of his entrance. The angle looks a little awkward but Eren looks like he's in absolute ecstasy, the way his hips thrust into his hand and increasing the rhythm.

Levi continues to stare at the boy, mouth hanging open as he watches the erotic display. He knows he should turn away and stop watching but he's rooted in the ground. His hand is still clutching his dick through his pants and he fears that if he lets go he might come straight away. He knows this is a once in a lifetime chance to memorise Eren's face but he can't bring himself to tear his eyes away from the boys' glorious cock.

Eren abruptly slows his pace, focusing his hand on the head of his cock, teasing the slit and twisting his wrist, drawing more lewd sounds from his mouth. The fingers in his entrance slowly grind and thrust, covering them further in a clear slick that seems to be coming from Eren, it certainly isn't lube. Levi finally begins to rub his cock in time with Eren's thrusts, imagining it was his dick inside Eren. He keeps his moans as silent as possible to make sure he isn't found out, biting his lower lip hard.

Eren's movements speed up again and with more vigour, his hand moving wildly up and down while his other hand thrust deeply and he adds a third finger as well. Levi increases the pace of his rubbing without realising, he notices that Eren's whole body shimmers with a layer of sweat, like he's been doing this for hours and he can tell by Eren's facial expression that he is exhausted. The boy hardens his expression unexpectedly and flips his body over so his face his pressed into the pillows and his beautiful ass is in the air. Levi sees this as the ultimate invitation to satisfy the boy himself but he holds himself back with great effort.

This new position allows Levi to see more and it looks a lot more comfortable for Eren. Eren continues to pant and moan into the pillows, occasionally gasping Levi's name, which sends fresh waves of arousal through Levi. He can tell Eren is close to climaxing as his legs begin to shake with effort and his movements become erratic, desperately trying to find relief.

"Leevviiii… Fuck! Please Levi!" Eren cries as his fingers hit his prostate, sending the boy over the edge. He moans loudly as he comes hard all over the bed and hand, body flinching as he continues to ride his orgasm out. Levi feels in orgasm burning in his groin and he quickly shoves his hand inside his pants and grips the base of his cock, effectively stopping him from coming. He bends over to try and regain his breath, his body vibrating with unsatisfied arousal. He can hear Eren panting heavily as he recovers and Levi knows this is his time to exit. Before he moves he catches one last glimpse of Eren's face, flushed from exertion but his eyes capture his attention. The green and gold swirls are hypnotising and Levi commits the image to memory, hoping he will see those eyes again.

With great effort Levi stands straight and walks towards his bedroom, still holding his dick for fear of dirtying his pants. He darts straight for his bed, shedding his tie and button up shirt on the floor. Crawling onto the bed as he makes quick work of undoing his pants, unzipping them enough to reach in and free his aching cock. He sighs happily at the freedom and swipes a drop of a pre-come from the tip, hissing at the pleasure and sensitivity.

"Fuck!" Levi curses as he starts to slowly pump, his cock twitching with every swipe. Levi knows he won't last much longer as he was close to the edge a few minutes ago. He groans and bits his lip, trying hard to stay silent as he pumps faster. With his other hand he reaches down to massage his balls, heightening his pleasure further. The image of Eren in a similar position moments ago springs into Levi's mind and sends him over the edge, his back bowing off the bed, come spurting over his stomach and chest. Eren's name falling from his lips.

Breathing heavily, Levi slowly comes down from his high, trying to regain some strength to clean the disgusting mess he made. It's been a long while since Levi has found time to pleasure himself so he's not surprised he didn't last long nor has any energy left. With a groan, he reaches over to his nightstand and grabs some tissues, quickly ridding himself of evidence. Levi's brain finally catches up and a wave of regret and self-loathing crashes over him.

He can't believe he wanked off to the thought of a kid. _Shit! Does that make me a paedophile_ he thinks. Even though he has no idea how old Eren is, he still feels dirty for it.

He's totally fucked.

While Levi is having an internal crisis, he doesn't notice Eren lurking by the door. Having just watched the display Levi put on, Eren overjoyed that he has such a big effect on the older man. Feeling a fresh wave of desire course through him, he creeps back to his room and uses the new images Levi provided to alleviate his growing arousal.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 – Disappearing act.**

"Remind me why I'm doing this again" Jean grouches as he parks the car.

"Because I'm asking nicely. Just let me know if anything suspicious happens." Mikasa bites back through the radio. Jean rolls his eyes as he stares at the house he's visited too often lately. Honestly he doesn't understand Mikasa's obsession with the house, even while it was sitting empty she made daily visits, claiming there were trespassing reports. However Jean can't disobey a superiors order so he's spending the last part of his shift sitting outside a grumps house, just watching.

An hour passes with nothing but a few lights turning on and off but that's not unusual for a house in the evening. Jean decides to pass the time by playing Angry Birds on his phone, occasionally yelling at the screen when he fails a level. A bright light suddenly catches the young officer's attention, however it's not coming from the house under inspection, it's coming from his neighbour.

Jean is suddenly reminded of the day he saw the owner (or at least who he thought was the owner) who suddenly disappeared when he said 'hello'. All Jean can remember is freckles and dark hair. The experience was both traumatising and exhilarating, increasing Jean's curiosity to meet the owner of the house. With a quick glance at the house he's supposed to watch over, knowing nothing is going to happen anytime soon. He quickly exits the car and makes his way up to the front door, mustering his courage on the way.

When he is close to the house he catches a glimpse of the light source that caught his attention. It's coming from the kitchen area that can be seen through the windows at the front of the house. The light provides Jean with a perfect view of what's happening inside. He stops dead in his tracks when he sees a male figure, shirtless and doubled over the kitchen table as if he's in pain. Jean recognises the brunette man and his heart immediately begins to hammer in his chest, _this is the man who disappeared from me_ Jean contemplates.

Seeing the owner doubled over in pain sends warning signals through Jean's body and he immediately sprints towards the door, now with a perfectly valid excuse. The young officer rapidly knocks on the front door,

"Local Police, please open up" he shouts then falls silent to try and hear movement in the house. For a few seconds there is nothing until more lights in the house turn on and Jean can hear pattering of feet coming towards the door. The footsteps are uneven and slopping, like the man is stumbling and having trouble walking.

Eventually the door swings open a fraction, enough for the owner's face to be shown, looking scared and nervous. Jean instantly feels guilty for being an unexpected intruder, he can tell the man is still shirtless and is shy about it.

"How may I help you officer?" The freckled male asks timidly, his voice sounding scratchy and sore.

"I…ah…umm. Sorry to disturb you but I saw you through the window and thought you might be in trouble" Jeans curses himself to being unprofessional and sounding like a stalker. "I mean not that I was purposely looking through your window, it was purely by accident…" Jean's rambling is cut off by a small giggle coming from behind the door. He looks in surprise to see the shirtless man blushing and trying to contain his laughter. Jean flushes in embarrassment.

"Sorry officer, I didn't mean to be rude" the shirtless man hiccups, "but I'm honestly fine"

Somehow Jean doesn't believe him, something about his posture, trying not to expose too much of his body.

"Are you sure? You looked like you were in pain before. I can help" Abruptly the brunette's face flames red and a groan slips from his lips, his head dipping low as he doubles over. Jean's panic escalates as he watches, knowing instantly that he's in pain. He moves to open the door further but the brunette is faster.

"No! Don't come in" there is desperation in his voice, his eyes pleading with the blonde officer.

"But you're hurt."

"I'm fine! Trust me. I'll be fine, you can go" Jean finds that he can't move, not without knowing the brunette's name.

"At least tell me your name," the officer pleads.

"Marco" he answers quietly. Jean smirks and nods his head. _I like the name_. Marco doesn't wait for Jean to respond, only begins the close the door. In that instant Jean catches a smell in the air that's potent and thick. The smell is sweet and intoxicating and it seems to be coming from Marco's direction. It becomes stronger and Jean feels like he's drowning in the smell, like someone is pouring honey over his head. His dick twitches him his pants, demanding attention suddenly.

Jean has a moment a clarity and realises he just popped and boner while on duty. Jean acts quickly, jamming his foot in the front door before it can close. Marco looks up at Jean in panic, wanting to put a solid barrier between him and the officer.

"What's that smell" Jean questions, moving closer to the door and inhaling. His pupils dilate further and he couldn't care less that he has a raging hard on.

"Shit" Marco curses as he tries harder to shut the door.

Jean feels wave after wave of arousal crash over him the longer he's exposed to the smell. By this point he could almost cum in his pants. Marco's attempts at keep the officer out are in vain. The blonde is a lot stronger than Marco. Eventually Jean gets the door open and Marco steps back, only to stumble on his weak legs, his desire and lust steadily increasing with Jean's. He can feel his natural slick soaking his sweatpants, creating a more intoxicating smell to draw the officer in.

Jean steps into the house, smelling more of the delicious scent. He moves toward Marco who is having trouble standing. Worried, Jean secures his arms around Marco, holding him up. The instant they make contact fire irrupts in their veins and both men moan in pleasure, fitting their bodies together like a jigsaw puzzle. Without realising it, their mouths connect in a heated, lust filled kiss. Their tongues weave and wrestle for dominance, eventually Marco accepts defeat and lets the officer ravage his mouth, drawing groans and whimpers with each pass of his tongue. The officer reaches down and grabs Marco's ass, causing his hips to grind against Jean's cock. The delicious friction created by the pants offers some relief to both men but it's not enough.

Eventually Marco's body goes limp with exhaustion but his body demands to be taken. To be fucked into oblivion. Jeans takes the hint and lifts Marco with ease off the floor, encouraging him to wrap his legs around his waist.

"You okay?" Jean huffs out, licking up Marco's neck, drawing a yelp as his hips buck into Jean's.

"Yeah. Can't handle much more. Please fuck me…" Marco whispers, "Please officer, please fuck me" Jean growls in response, re-attaching his mouth to Marco's neck and sucking. With the directions from Marco, Jean finds his bedroom, which smells even more potent. He sets Marco down on the bed and works quickly at removing his uniform. Marco slips his soaked sweatpants off and begins to slowly stroke his cock, watching Jean undress.

Jean struggles with all the belts and articles of clothing, his movements desperate as he watches Marco pleasure himself. He finally removes the last bits of clothing, relishing in the feeling of his dick being free from the confines of his pants. It drips with precome, which he spreads over the rest of his dick as he pumps it a few times.

Marco is panting hard on the bed, abandoning his cock altogether and instead shoving three fingers inside himself. Jean groans at the display and pounces on Marco, taking his fingers out and replacing them with his own. The warm, slick heat surrounds his fingers making his dick twitch hard. He pumps the fingers in and out, grinding against the walls, trying to find his special spot.

Marco screams when Jean finally finds his prostate, back bowing off the bed and his cock twitches hard a few times but nothing comes out. Jean leans up to whisper sweet nothings in his ear as he recovers from his dry orgasm, feeling him trembles under his touch.

"Please officer! I need you to fuck me before I loose my mind" Marco begs, hissing when the blonde sucks a nipple into his mouth and twists the other nipple with his wet fingers.

"I love that you're begging. Dripping for my cock. Do you want me to fuck you hard into the mattress? Make you come all over yourself untouched?" Jean's dirty words cause Marco's arousal to heighten, reducing him to a whimpering mess on the bed.

Marco spreads his legs wider, inviting the officer to claim him. Jean is practically drooling as he lines the head of his cock at his entrance. He stops moving and thinks for a second.

"Wait what about a con…agh" Marco is beyond impatient now. He flips them over so he is sitting over Jean's cock, rubbing his ass along it to make it nice and wet. He then lines himself up and sinks down in one fluid motion. Both men moan is pleasure and Jean instantly bucks up into Marco, not waiting for him to adjust.

Marco doesn't mind, the feeling of finally being full is ecstasy in his veins. He begins to ride Jean in time with his thrusts, bracing one hand on Jean's chest to steady himself. The brunette can feel his body become weaker and weaker the longer he rides Jean's cock.

Jean notices the strain in Marco's body and flips them around again, increasing his thrusts when Marco is on his back. This new angle allows Jean to go deeper and hit Marco's prostate with every thrust. Marco cries and whimpers, begging for more as his pleasure is heightened further. Marco's name falls from Jean's lips with every thrust, which drives Marco crazy.

Jean can feel is orgasm creeping up on him. He increases his pace so Marco can come at the same time.

"Marco… shit I'm about to come… fuck, you feel amazing. I want to see you come" Jean continues to sprout nonsense, creating a brutal pace. With a few more thrusts Jean explodes, his come filling Marco and hitting his prostate dead on. Marco is pushed over the edge as well, coming hard over his stomach, trying to match the officer's uneven thrusts as he comes down from his high.

Eventually Jean collapses beside Marco, panting heavily as both men try and catch their breaths. Jean suddenly realises that he just slept with a complete stranger, while on duty, at night. _Fuck_ he's going to be in so much shit if someone finds out.

"What's your name?" Marco asks beside him, smiling happily and looking relaxed. It occurs to Jean that he never actually told Marco his own name. They were too busy fucking.

"Jean. Jean Kirstein. Or just Officer Kirstein" the blonde winks at the brunette, effectively making him blush. Jean then reaches over and kisses Marco, savouring his amazing taste.

"Well that was fun" Marco states, breaking away and sinking into the pillows.

"Sure was" Jean chuckles and the absurdity of the situation. A question suddenly pops into his head. "What exactly did happen? Where did the scent come from and why were you so weak?"

Marco is silent for little while, mulling over the questions. He isn't prepared to tell Jean the truth.

"It's just something that happens to me sometimes. Doctors can't explain it" this answer seems to satisfy Jean and they both fall into a confortable silence.

Ultimately Jean has to re-dress and get back to his patrol car before anyone notices. As he ties his shoes he suddenly feels sad, he doesn't want to leave Marco alone.

"Sooo… Can I see you again?" the blonde asks, grinning cheekily. Marco looks down at his hands and has a hurt expression.

"Sorry Jean, But you won't be seeing me again"

Levi tosses and turns, kicking the sheets off his body, burying his face further in the pillows. It's currently 11:50pm and Levi's mind is wide-awake, still repeating the events of a few hours ago. He didn't bother with dinner after his little jerk off session, he just went straight for a shower and was in there for a good half an hour. He tries to convince himself that his reaction was perfectly natural but he has a suspicion something else was also controlling his actions.

A bell ringing brings Levi back and he sits up in his bed, looking towards the door. Eren stands in the door way in nothing but an oversized jumper that ends just above his knees. Levi is still shocked that he can see Eren normally, he can take in every detail of Eren's face.

Eren is looking shy and awkward as he stands in the doorway, not knowing if he's allowed to enter.

"How?" Levi states. "How can I see you?" Eren takes this as an invitation and walks into the room, sitting on the end of the bed. Eren stares down to his hand for a while, simply thinking. His expression is sad and desperate, like his whole family was just killed. Levi is about to question Eren again, ask why he looks like a lost puppy but Eren speaks first.

"It only happens twice a year" he starts, taking a deep breath. "It happens on the winter and summer solstice. We are given the opportunity to be seen by humans but we also go into heat at the same time." Levi is staring at Eren, not sure how to comprehend what he just heard.

"What exactly is 'heat'?" Levi questions, but he has a feeling he already knows the answer.

"It's… our way of reproducing. Our bodies are prepared to have sex in order to create offspring in the short amount of time we have with humans. Physical contact like sex isn't really possible when you can't look at us. This is why we get given these two days to help populate our kind." Eren explains this while maintaining a bright blush, like he's talking to his crush. "We pretty much get super horny for 24 hours then we go back being invisible"

The bluntness of the last statement catches Levi off guard and it's both hilarious and sad at the same time. We smiles at Eren, getting lost in thought as he continues to stare. He's captivated by Eren's natural beauty, in nothing but an oversized sweater, his heart begins to pound in his chest. Louder and louder the longer he looks at Eren.

He doesn't want to admit that he has feelings for Eren but it's hard to ignore when he literally jacked off to the thought and image of Eren. Levi can feel his body start to react to the images from a few hours ago, staring at Eren half dressed and blushing isn't helping his situation either.

Eren clears his throat uncomfortably, which effectively snaps Levi back to attention. While discretely moving the sheets the cover Levi's semi-hard on, he glances at the time and sees it's 11:58. Suddenly an obvious question presents itself.

"Wait! 24 hours? Does that mean we only have 2 minutes left? I only get to look at you properly for two more minutes?"

"Well done genius" Eren jabs sarcastically. "It only took you a million years to figure that out"

Levi's mind reals as he desperately tries to buy more time, he hasn't had enough time to memorise Eren's face. He climbs frantically across the bed until he is seated right next to Eren. Grabbing his face in his hands and looking deeply into his eyes, committing everything to memory.

"When does this happen again?" Levi asks.

"In about 6 months. December."

"But why? I haven't had enough time to look at you" Eren averts his eyes, his blush getting stronger. He shudders at the warmth of Levi's hands, wants to fall asleep with his hands on his body.

"I'll still be weak and a little horny over the next couple of days so don't be surprised if you don't see me around" Eren speaks quietly, trying not to ruin the moment.

"please don't dis—" Before Levi can finish his sentence the face he was holding disappears before his eyes, it becomes nothing and his hands feel cold, almost like he was never touching anything in the first place. His heart lunges in his throat as he looks around the room, hoping to find Eren in the corner of his vision but no luck. Levi just sits alone in his room, desperately trying to remember what Eren looked like, it felt like a million years already since he had seen his face.

At some point Levi manages to fall asleep, tossing and turning all night with dreams. His alarm blares at him at 6:30am, with heavy eyes, Levi drags himself out of bed and into the shower. His brain is too tired to think about mundane things like showering and he functions on autopilot. He eats a quick breakfast so he's not late for work for a second day in a row. He has a brief moment of sadness when Eren doesn't appear for breakfast, (Not that he was expecting him to anyway). Just before leaving the house he does a quick sweep of the house, in a last ditch effort to see Eren again. He leaves the house sad and disappointed.

Levi arrives at the station ten minutes early to make up for the previous day, immediately running into Commander Erwin, who looks mildly surprised to see Levi.

"Rivaille! You're here early. How's your friend?"

Levi has to think fast, remembering that he told his boss that he was looking after a sick friend.

"He's doing better, just has a bad cold" It was a pretty lame excuse but Levi prays it will be accepted.

"That's good to hear, but since you left in a hurry there is quite a bit of work that needs doing. Also I need you to meet with one of my other colleagues about some paper work." Erwin explains. Levi just nods mechanically, not digesting what's been said. "But I have to warn you! She's eccentric and a bit crazy so please try to bare with her" and with that Erwin walks away to talk to another officer.

Levi is left very confused, should he fear this woman? He shrugs the comment off and gets down to business. He focuses his mind on all the tasks he has been given, getting through each file and case with speed and efficiency. Occasionally getting coffee for grumpy morning patrols. The workload manages to take his mind of his green eyed Periphery and the events of the previous night.

It reaches lunchtime and Levi is starving. The office is quiet and he thinks it's the perfect opportunity to slip away and grab some lunch. His train of thought however halts suddenly when Mikasa strolls up to desk, looking surprising calm and not looking threatening like she usually does.

"How did you find out?" The policewoman asks without greeting.

"Find out about what?" Levi asks genuinely confused, _why does she always ask random questions?_

"Don't play dumb pipsqueak. Eren told me you found out about the solstice occurrence. I want to know _how_ you found out, because he sure as hell didn't tell you" her tone becomes more menacing, just waiting for him to say something stupid.

"Ohh that! Well sorry to tell you sweetheart but that's private. Eren can tell you if he really wants to." Mikasa is vibrating with aggression, ready to throw the short man over his desk and force him to speak, although he did have a point. If Eren wanted her to know, he would have told her already.

"Fine. But I still don't trust you. Something isn't right about you." Mikasa leans forward over Levi's desk, getting into his face and trying to sound threatening "But if I ever find out that you—" her sentence is cut short when a loud voice materialises beside them.

"Officer Mikasa! Oh I haven't seen you in a while! You should come by my office more often for a chat. How's your brother? Is he doing okay after yesterday?" the woman with glasses rambles quickly but Mikasa just rolls her eyes. Levi on the other hand didn't hear half the words the woman said and he feels thoroughly confused.

Mikasa hushes her tone, "He's doing just fine Dr Zoe. Just a little tired. However please try not to talk about him in such a public place"

"Oh sorry honey! I totally forgot. I'll remember next time" Mikasa nods in approval at the same time Dr Zoe turns and faces Levi, who is currently looking confused and a little pissed off.

"And you must be Rivaille Church. It's a pleasure to meet you!" she sticks her hand in his face and he shakes it wearily. "I've heard so much about you! We have much to discuss. That's why I'm here actually. Erwin probably told you that you had an appointment with me today. So here I am!"

Levi flinches as the doctor squeals her last sentence. Levi does recall Erwin saying something about meeting a colleague, but he wasn't prepared for this level of crazy.

"Well, lead the way. Good day officer Ackerman" Levi says in a condescending tone as he stands from his desk and follows behind Dr Zoe. He has no idea why he is meeting with the eccentric lady but it's better than talking to Mikasa about Eren.

They walk through a short corridor and walk to the end room in which he has never seen before. The plaque on the door reads: ' _Dr. Hanji Zoe. Psychologist and human welfare'_ Levi is suddenly curious as to why a crazy, eccentric woman is in charge of the mental state of police officers. Upon entering the room he finds the doctor is the least cleanly person on the planet. Papers and folders are piled on every surface and her desk is almost non-existent as paper and coffee mugs litter the surface. Levi has to force himself to calm down and not throw up. The itch to clean is strong.

Levi seats himself across from the desk, sitting on the edge of the seat so god-knows-what bacteria doesn't contaminate him. Dr Zoe jumps into her own chair and looks around her desk, finding her bearings before starting.

"Now Mister Rivaille. How have you found your job so far?"

Levi thinks for a minute, he hasn't thought about the job much. Only thinking about the prospect of getting caught for lying to police or dealing with the supernatural world of _Peripheries_.

"Its good. It keeps me busy and I get paid so that's all I really care about" Levi says casually.

"That's good to hear. As you may have read, I'm the person that looks after all the Sergeants and personnel that work here. I have a PHD in psychology and mental health so I know what I'm doing. Even though I do seem a little crazy at times." She winks and giggles to herself before quickly composing herself.

"I just wanted to check in and see if any of the cases you have read have affected you in any way? Maybe a story or incident that you feel might have impacted on your mental health? Or if you just want to chat we can do that as well" the brunette smiles warmly, making Levi relax a little bit.

"There isn't much that has affected me, I try not to read most of the case files in depth because I feel it's not my place. I'm fine otherwise."

"Hmmm…" she hums while clasping her finger in front of her mouth. "I do have one question. Do you remember a woman the other day that came into the office? She was crying hysterically and yelling stuff about her baby being missing?"

Surprisingly Levi remembers the incident well. He was waiting outside Commander Erwin's office before his job interview.

"Yes I do. I was here for my job interview when it happened. Why do you ask?"

"It was an emotional scene that doesn't usually occur in the middle of the police station. But from gauging your reaction it doesn't seem to bother you that much" Levi frowns.

"It didn't bother me because I was concentrating more on my job interview. How am I supposed to feel anyway? It's not like I can do anything about it" Levi could feel himself get a bit angry, wondering why the doctor was asking these obscure questions.

"How someone reacts to a situation call tell me a lot about the person and their past. I can tell from your reaction that it isn't the first time you have seen a similar situation and therefore you have become desensitised to the whole thing."

"That's bullshit. You don't know shit about what I'm feeling" Levi bursts, balling his fists in anger. He doesn't quite understand why he is getting so angry. Levi is abruptly hit with images of his past, crying babies and screaming parents. Hearing the baby names over the news and feeling the crushing guilt of it all. He pushes those memories away and swallows the lump in his throat. _Why is he thinking of those memories at a time like this?_

"Please Mister Church. I'm only here to help you. I'm sorry if I offended you in any way."

Levi slows his breathing and tries to calm himself. Leaning back in his chair, trying to find a comfortable position. Not caring if he gets bacteria all over him.

"Now. Can I ask you one final question?"

Levi nods his head slowly in agreement, wanting this meeting to be over with.

"What can you tell me about Eren Yeager?" Levi's eyes bulge out of his head. _Fuck, fuck, fuck_ he thinks. _How the hell does she know about Eren?_ Then it occurs to him. When Dr Zoe was talking with Mikasa she mentioned a brother (which must be Eren) and how he was feeling after yesterday. It all suddenly becomes clear now, Dr Zoe must know the existence of _Peripheries_ and somehow she knows that Levi is involved.

Levi decides he will take a chance with Dr Zoe, hoping she isn't trapping him. Maybe telling the truth will help the situation. Levi musters up his courage and tries to look confident in his answer.

"Eren is a _Periphery_. And I happen to be living with him"


	7. Chapter 7

(Hey guys! so sorry for the delay in new chapters! updating will be difficult for a while but i will try my best to stay with it! but i promise i won't give up on this fic! It's my baby!

hope you all enjoy and i would love to hear your thought on it. love you beautiful readers! )

 **Chapter 7 – New information, New sources**

Levi's heart pounds as his words travel into the room, not really believing he admitted Eren's existence to a person he just met. He's not sure if he can trust her yet but if Mikasa confines in her then maybe it's worth giving her a shot.

The psychologist just smiles behinds her hands, trying to keep herself composed and not bursting with excitement. This is the first time she will have a firsthand experience of a human living with a Periphery and she can't wait to get some experiments running. However, before she can do anything she has to get Rivaille to cooperate and judging from the couple of minutes they have been talking it's going to take a while to gain his trust.

Levi nervously waits in his chair, waiting for Hanji to give a response, any response to prove that this whole situation isn't a big prank.

"Interesting" Hanji says with secretive smirk, leaning forward in her chair like an excited child.

"Why do I get the feeling this is not going to end well for me" Levi mumbles but the psychologist hears the comment and chuckles.

"Look Rivaille I'm going to be honest with you. You're, how should I say this… living situation is a first for me and I would like to observe how you and Eren co-exist. All I would need to do is set up a few pieces of equipment, microphones and cameras and so forth…"

"Okay lady, hold it for one second" Levi interrupts. "I haven't agreed to any cameras or shit like that just yet. First you have to tell me what you know about Eren and Peripheries like him" Hanji settles into her chair more comfortably and Levi does the same, preparing for a much longer conversation than expected.

"Alright pipsqueak, I'll tell you. But first let me put your mind at ease by saying that Mikasa and I are the only people here who know about the existence of Peripheries." Levi gives a little sigh of relief, hopefully no more surprise visits from Periphery believers. "But to be honest I don't know much about them, I have only ever met Eren once and that was a very brief encounter. I know they can only be seen through the peripheral vision and two days a year they go through a heat cycle which allows them the connect fully with the human population. But of course you already knew that because yesterday was one of those days…" Hanji gives Levi a knowing look and the raven haired man clears his head, ridding the rising images of the previous night away.

Levi coughs uncomfortably.

"Yes I knew that"

"Then you also might know that those two days are critical for reproduction and they can only mate with humans. I have been trying to study their whole mating cycle and the biology behind it but I haven't had much luck as I haven't gotten a specimen to study. But with you living with Eren it could be my opportunity to do in-depth studies on their species, try to figure out what makes them tick."

Levi ponders her words for a few minutes, contemplating the pros and cons of having his home life violated and having cameras and recorders everywhere. Suddenly Levi is reminded of why he's actually in the town to begin with. No one knows his true identity and having cameras poking into his private life puts him and everyone else around him at risk of being hurt or killed. Images of Eren or Petra dead is too much to bare, he can't put these innocent lives at risk.

Being caught up in all the Periphery nonsense has distracted Levi of his purpose for hiding and stay low. If Kenny finds him then he needs to be able to drop everything and run at a minute's notice. Levi's chest squeezes at the thought of leaving Eren behind, to never see him again, to never feel his presence in a room, to never hear his bell ring again.

Just as Levi is about to decline Hanji's offer, they are rudely interrupted by someone banging on her office door and then entering without waiting. Erwin's body takes up the door way and his face displays anger. He heaves a few breaths before gritting his teeth and addressing Hanji in a very quick manner.

"Hanji, I need to have a word with you in private."

"As you can see Commander Erwin I'm in a meeting right now" she expresses in a neutral tone, showing no sign of being intimidated by the Commander's rude intrusion.

"This is an urgent matter _Professor_ and I need to speak with you at once" the Commander's tone is final. He turns and exits the doorway, leaving Levi very confused about the whole situation. Hanji sighs in defeat and begins to stand.

"I'm sorry Rivaille we will have to continue this talk another time, it seems the Commander is not in good mood today." Levi just nods in agreement and follows Hanji out of her office. He makes his way back to his desk, finding a fresh pile of paperwork to sort through on his desk. Running his hand through his hair he takes a seat and begins sort through the paper work from urgent to non-urgent.

From Levi's seat he can see into Commander Erwin's office and he can tell Hanji is being ridiculed about something, the way she stands on the other side of the desk, arms folded and shaking her head trying to say something but is interrupted by Erwin. He seems to be very defensive in the way he's talking using big gestures, almost shouting. Levi is about to focus back on his work in front of him when he sees Erwin point in his direction and Hanji follows his finger till both of them are staring at Levi.

Levi immediately averts his eyes down in the hopes that they didn't see him staring. His heart begins to pound in his chest in fear, it was obvious that he was the topic of conversation but he doesn't know why. Unless they somehow knew his true identity but if that was true he would already be in handcuffs, behind bars. Levi continues to ruffle through the papers on his desk to make himself look busy, silently hoping no one talks to him.

A long while passes before Hanji leaves the Commanders office, a serious expression on her face and she adjusts her glasses to avoid eye contact as she walks past Levi's desk. Levi has a sick feeling in his stomach at seeing the previously bubbly professor look cold and serious.

The rest of the afternoon goes by uneventfully, Mikasa comes in and out of the precinct, occasionally bringing in someone in handcuffs looking pissed at the female officer. Levi avoids eye contact with most people and Mikasa notices this, trying to get his attention throughout the afternoon but doesn't succeed in striking another conversation with the raven.

As Levi is sorting through the last of files on his desk, logging the case file number into the computer and scanning the written files into the system. The task is tedious and boring at best but it keeps Levi's mind occupied so he doesn't go insane from worry, not wanting to think about the fucked up situation he is getting deeper into.

The last case file however captures the Raven's attention. There are a couple of photos attached to the folder with the general report. The pictures vary from a baby sleeping peacefully in a crib to a young smiling mother holding the same baby in a park. Levi feels a shiver run down his spine and an uneasy feeling washes over him. The pictures scream happiness and normality yet here they are stuffed inside a blue police file. He flips through the pictures and sees a few more pictures of what looks like an empty crib and shots of the inside of a house all with small yellow numbers in them. Levi assumes they are the pictures that forensics took.

Levi then flips to the case report, messy handwriting litters the pages and he can just read what the words say. The mothers name is Annie Leonhardt and she is 22 years old. Her baby is Eva Leonhardt and apparently disappeared one night from her crib, never to be seen again. The house had a security system but it was not tripped and there was no sign of a forced entry. Levi skims through more details about the security of the house till something catches his eye. Under the heading of 'Father' it is written as 'unknown'.

Levi then flips to a transcript of the interview conducted with the mother, Annie, and she states the father was a one-night stand type deal and she was never able to find him again. Like he vanished and left no trace behind, all she knew was his appearance of tall and dark hair. _Well that's specific_ Levi thinks as he skims through the rest of the transcript explaining in detail about the evening young Eva disappeared.

For some reason the case resonates with Levi, reminding him of the days spent with his squad and the things they were pressured to do for a certain sum of money. The case file begins to shake with his hands as more memories assault his mind, dragging him through the dark pits of despair and the sound of crying babies' echoes through his mind.

The shrill of his ringtone breaks Levi's trance and he slams the case file shut, getting a few odd looks from officers nearby, taking a shuddering breath he tries to calm himself. He hasn't felt this overwhelmed in a long time, he thought he had a good grip on his emotions but it seems like he is losing his grip.

His phone continues to ring on his desk and he quickly grabs it and checks the caller ID seeing an unknown number flashing on the screen. He quickly excuses himself from the office and runs outside to answer the call.

"Hello?" He answers as he passes the front doors of the building.

"Levi? Is that you?" A young female voice rushes.

"Yes, who is this? And how did you get this number?"

"It's Petra! The nurse who looked after you when you came into the hospital. You gave me this number."

Levi breathes a sigh of relief and smacks a hand to his forehead. Of course he gave her his number, how could he forget that?

"Petra, sorry. What's up? Everything okay?" The Raven answers, leaning against a brick wall.

"I don't really know. You told me to call you if anyone came looking for you or something seemed off. And well…"

"What is it Petra? You can tell me." Levi assures, feeling anxious about the information the nurse has.

"Well… there was this guy that came into the emergency department yesterday asking if people have seen a short man with an undercut. The only person I could think of was you… they questioned me and I think I looked too obvious because they left in hurry after they talked to me… and…" Petra sniffs over the phone and Levi can tell this is stressing her out.

"Petra calm down, it going to be okay. I need you to tell me what you told them." Levi explains, running a hand through his hair for the hundredth time in the last few hours. He has a bad feeling that he knows who's after him. If his suspicions are correct that means Petra could be in trouble.

"Um… well he asked if I had seen a man of your description and I said I didn't know but then he kept pressuring me for more information like who came into the department the night you were brought in. they seemed to know something that I didn't but I continued to tell them that I couldn't remember. Eventually they left but they did say something… disturbing"

"what did they say?"

"They said 'if you happen to remember this man, tell him to start running, the shadows are right behind.'"

Levi's eyes go wide and he feels cold over, his stomach drops and cold sweat covers his forehead. He's heard those words before but no directed at him. It's the words of his boss.

Kenny is closing in.

Levi and Petra talked for little bit longer and they agreed to talk in person later that night. Levi gives strict instructions on how to get to his house without being followed. Levi is now in paranoid mode.

By the end of the day the Raven haired man is completely exhausted. He packs his desk up in silence, stacking all the files in a neat pile and wiping all the surfaces down. This little routine of his calms him down, gives himself time to think through his problems in an organised manner.

From the unexpected interview with Professor Hanji to Petra's panicked phone call, Levi hasn't had time to think about the brat Periphery sitting at home. They haven't talked since the night Levi walked in on him doing unspeakable things and their talk before Eren disappeared was cruel. Let's just say things are little distant between the two housemates right now.

"I think you have effectively killed any living organism on that part of the desk" Mikasa remarks walking up to Levi's desk. Levi's concentration breaks and he looks down to see he has in fact been scrubbing the same spot for ten minutes. "What has you so riled up short stack?"

"Why didn't you tell me?" Levi decides to question, choosing to ignore the name but glaring in anger. "Why didn't you warn me about Hanji? I nearly lost my shit in her little interview today."

"I didn't realise you had an appointment with her today so when she dragged you away it was too late to warn you. Plus, I wasn't expecting her to say anything because I didn't tell her that you knew about the Peripheries." The Officer explains in a bored tone.

"If you didn't tell her that I knew about the Peripheries, who did?" Levi asks, putting away the rest of the clutter on his desk.

"She probably made an educated guess" Mikasa shrugs. "She knows that Eren lives in your house so she probably guessed that you knew about him." What Mikasa was saying made sense but Levi does like being out of the loop. "What did you tell her anyway?"

"Not much. She went on about doing some sort of experiments in the house with Eren and me but I lost track of what she was saying. Then we were interrupted by Commander Erwin."

Mikasa frowns at the last statement, crossing her arm in a defensive manner while looking to see if anyone was close by. The change in body language scares Levi a little bit. Did he say something important.

"Did the Commander hear any of your conversation with Hanji?" the officer questions quietly, leaning forward in order to be heard. "Did he say anything strange to you or did anything seem out of place?" the onslaught of questions surprises Levi and he doesn't like where the conversation is going.

"No I don't think he heard our conversation" Levi starts, "Although he called Hanji into his office and they were arguing about something but I don't know what." Mikasa grunts and leans out of Levi's personal space, satisfied with his answer. "What's going on? Why are you suspicious of the Commander?"

The female officer shakes her head and relaxes her body language as another officer walks past Levi's desk.

"Don't worry about that. It's nothing to concern yourself over" for some reason Levi doesn't believe Mikasa but before he can question her further her walkie talkie interrupts them, calling her to her next job. She leaves without another word and it's also Levi's que to go home. He grabs his bag and walks past all the officer's desk, waving good night to the night shift staff.

The drive home is short and quiet. Levi still has no idea what to say to Eren when he next sees him. As he pulls into the driveway he sees a few of the house lights on so that must mean Eren is up and moving about the house. That's always a good sign.

"I'm home!" Levi calls as he walks through the front door. There are a few seconds of silence where Levi listens closely to the sound of Eren's Bell. He finally hears the faint tinkle of the bell coming from upstairs and it grows louder as it bounds down the stairs. Levi automatically turns to his side so he can look through his peripheral vision.

A green hoodie and brown hair comes into view and Levi sighs in relief, _at least he isn't hiding in his room anymore_ Levi thinks.

"Levi! Where have you been? You are not usually this late" Levi is a little confused and he looks at the clock hanging on the wall, noticing its 9:30pm. _Shit_. He hadn't realised he had stayed so late, his talk with Mikasa must of went for longer than he thought.

"Sorry, work was… Busy so I didn't notice the time." Levi's lame excuse seems to satisfy the green eyed Periphery. "Have you eaten yet?" Levi questions, wanting a change of subject.

Eren shakes his head and they both walk to the kitchen in hopes of finding some ingredients to throw together. Levi gets started on dinner while Eren wanders off out of sight. Levi has an hour before Petra finishes her shift at the hospital and makes her way over. He has to find a way to tell Eren before he freaks out and scares Petra with his ghost-like abilities.

Eren and Levi sit and eat dinner together, filling the silence with small talk and avoiding the events from the previous day. Levi finally plucks up the courage to tell Eren that there will be a quest coming over to house and Eren promises to be on his best behaviour.

A knock on the door sounds just as Levi is finishing up the cleaning from dinner. Putting away the last dish, he walks toward the front door, waiting for the second sequence of knocks. They come in quick succession, the first 3 are fast, the last 2 knocks are slow and loud. Levi is proud that Petra remembered the secret knock.

The Raven quickly opens the door and pulls Petra inside, making sure there are no other cars parked outside the house. Petra gathers herself after being pulled through the door and looks in wonder at the house.

"Nice house, how did a homeless lightning strike victim afford a place like this?" Petra comments, running a hand along a wall.

"I got a good deal" Levi states, hoping there will be no more question on why the house was cheap. Levi doesn't want to deal with his Periphery problem tonight, he doesn't want to drag Petra into all that fucked up shit as well. Petra follows Levi into the kitchen area while he makes tea and coffee for them both before they retreat to the lounge room to talk further. They make small talk for a while, both not ready to speak about any heavy topics.

Eventually they run out of things to talk about and Petra shifts into a more comfortable position on the couch. Levi can sense the conversation is about to change.

"Levi, you need to tell me what's going on… I know you have your secrets but you need to give me something, anything, so I'm not interrogated again by scary looking people." Petra explains, clasping her hand together.

"But I fear telling you more will get you into more trouble" Levi replies before downing the rest of his tea and gathering his thoughts again. "I can try and answer some of your questions though" he compromises.

Petra nods in agreement and thinks for a few seconds, searching for the right question to start with.

"Start by telling me who the people were that talked to me yesterday."

"From what I know they are from my gang I used to work with. They are people you don't want as enemies. Was the lead guy an older looking man with a hat?"

Petra nods in confirmation. "There were two other people with him. One was a young male with light blonde hair that was parted in different direction. The other was a young girl, she didn't look more than 19 years old. She had dark red hair that were in pigtails"

"That must be Farlan and Izzy" Levi mutters. Levi had a suspicion they would accompany Kenny on his adventure to find him. Kenny knows they are his weaknesses, they grew up together so it's a dirty tactic to flush Levi out. Levi growls and yanks at his hair in frustration, _why must they be involved in my mistakes_ Levi thinks. He feels like he's running around in circles.

"What are you going to do Levi? They are coming after you." Petra almost whispers.

"I don't know. But I think it's too late to start running again." They both stay silent for a few minutes, not really knowing what to say.

"Oh by the way, does the name Carla Yeager mean anything to you?" Levi's eyes widen as the name sounds warning bells in his mind. It must be no coincidence that this person shares Eren's last name.

"Why do you ask?" Levi questions, trying to keep his face and voice neutral.

"These people, the people after you also mentioned the name. They wanted me to look at the hospitals records for her but I refused because of privacy reasons. Does the name mean anything to you?" Levi shakes his head and looks down at his hands. Should he mention Eren? No he wasn't going to drag her through that shit.

Just as Levi is about to respond he hears the tell-tale sound of Eren's bell. He totally forgot about the young Periphery and the sound of bells gets louder very quickly and before Levi can react and tell Petra to close her eyes, she is screaming and jumping in her seat in fright.

It seems Eren has made an appearance.


End file.
